A case of successful rescue and release of a stranded Chinese white dolphin
Received date: 2024-12-06
Accepted date: 2025-06-02
Online published: 2026-03-05
The Chinese white dolphin (also known as Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin; Sousa chinensis) is a national first-class protected marine mammal species in China, mainly distributed in estuaries and bays along China’ southeast coast. On August 17, 2024, a Chinese white dolphin was found stranded alive on a mudflat of Shijing Town, Nan’an City, Fujian Province. Its health condition was assessed on site to be extremely poor; and it was then transferred to Quanzhou All-Love-Park Aquatic Wildlife Rescue Station. After 39 days of treatment, the dolphin fully recovered and was released into the wild on September 26, 2024. This is the first Chinese white dolphin in China to be rescued, recovered, and released into the wild after being live-stranded. This article provides a detailed description of the entire process of rescue, treatment, and release, to provide reference and guidance for future rescue and rehabilitation of live-stranded Chinese white dolphins and other small cetaceans.
Key words： Sousa chinensis; Live stranded; Rescue; Treatment; Release
Qianhui ZENG , Lin CHENG , Benming WANG , Tengfei CHI , Yuke ZHANG , Li‐ming YONG , Xianyan WANG . A case of successful rescue and release of a stranded Chinese white dolphin[J]. ACTA THERIOLOGICA SINICA, 2026 , 46(3) : 433 -443 . DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.151033
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