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Jax

Species: Bottlenose dolphin, (Tursiops truncatus)

Location: Jacksonville, Florida

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Jax was a juvenile male bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) rescued from the St. John’s River in Jacksonville, FL. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) required assistance from GWMI and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI) from Fort Pierce, Florida to help rescue with this dolphin.

Alone and young (6-8 months old at the time), there were visible injuries on Jax’s body. Bottlenose dolphins are marine mammals that thrive best in higher salinity (saltier) waters. While they can spend some time in fresh water, their bodies will begin to suffer damage from extended exposure. In Jax’s case, multiple freshwater skin lesions were on his dorsal fin; this was in addition to trauma on the right pectoral fin and right fluke.  Jax also suffered from a foul blowhole, stomach ulcers, and damage from shark bites.

After being deemed non-releasable by NMFS because of his young age and lack of survival skills, Jax now calls the Dolphin Research Center on Grassy Key, Florida his permanent home.