Louisiana

Mother dolphin and her baby rescued from Louisiana pond, where they had been trapped since Hurricane Ida

Published

1 year ago

June 29, 2023

Mother dolphin and her baby rescued from Louisiana pond, where they had been trapped since Hurricane Ida

A mother dolphin and her calf have been rescued and released back to the ocean nearly two years after being stranded. Wildlife officials believe the mother and her baby became trapped in a Louisiana pond system after Hurricane Ida hit the state in 2021.

The Audubon Coastal Wildlife Network and other wildlife experts rescued the dolphins from the pond near Grand Isle on June 17.

“The pair was presumed to have been out-of-habitat due to storm surge and coastal flooding associated with Hurricane Ida,” the Audubon Nature Institute wrote Tuesday on Facebook. “CWN has been monitoring the pair for more than a year, waiting for the calf to be old enough to move to an area with access to open water.”

The Nature Institute said that the dolphins had “ample food supplies, salinity and tidal flow” where they were stuck in the months after Ida hit, but that they didn’t have a way to get back to the Gulf of Mexico once the water had receded.

Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana as a Category 4 storm in August 2021 – on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina – leaving millions without power and devastating communities. At least 91 people died because of the storm. Grand Isle, where the dolphins were found, was dealt a massive blow from the storm, with officials saying in its aftermath that the once “remote oasis” was made “uninhabitable.”

And the town is still recovering, as NOLA.com reports that all of the structures on the isle were damaged, with 700 completely destroyed.

The dolphins have seemingly been along for the ride in the area ever since the storm hit.

Video of the dolphin rescue shows teams hauling the dolphins out of the water where they were stuck and loading them into a van, where they kept them coated in water so that they could breathe during the commute. Once they arrived at the Gulf, the dolphins were gently released back into the wild.

Audubon Coastal Wildlife Network Rescues Dolphin and Her Calf in Grand Isle
On June 17th, Audubon Coastal Wildlife Network (CWN) and their partners in the Southeast Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network rescued and released a dolphin and her calf that were trapped in a pond system near Grand Isle, Louisiana. The pair was presumed to have been out-of-habitat due to storm surge and coastal flooding associated with Hurricane Ida.
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CWN has been monitoring the pair for more than a year, waiting for the calf to be old enough to move to an area with access to open water. The pond where the mother and calf were found had ample food supplies, salinity and tidal flow but did not have pathways to the Gulf of Mexico. The rescue team was coordinated by NOAA Fisheries Service in partnership with Audubon Coastal Wildlife Network (CWN), National Marine Mammal Foundation, SeaWorld Orlando, The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, and South Carolina Aquarium.
It is common for storm surge and increased coastal flooding associated with hurricanes to cause marine mammals and sea turtles to strand on land or be washed into inland waterways where they are not typically observed, such as lakes, ponds, and canals. Animals may be found in these areas for weeks to months following the hurricane, requiring rescue by trained and authorized responders to return them to their natural habitat.
The public is advised to report all stranded or out-of-habitat marine mammals and sea turtles (live or dead) to CWN at 877-942-5343.
Posted by Audubon Nature Institute on Wednesday, June 28, 2023

And situations such as this happen often, the Nature Institute said.

“It is common for storm surge and increased coastal flooding associated with hurricanes to cause marine mammals and sea turtles to strand on land or be washed into inland waterways where they are not typically observed, such as lakes, ponds, and canals,” the New Orleans-based organization said. “Animals may be found in these areas for weeks to months following the hurricane, requiring rescue by trained and authorized responders to return them to their natural habitat.”

Li Cohen

Li Cohen is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News.

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Related Topics:dolphin Featured hurricane Hurricane Ida Louisiana

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Louisiana

Heart of Louisiana: Savoy Music

Published

8 hours ago

December 26, 2024

Press Room

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – You can feel the strong Cajun tradition the moment you step inside the Savoy Music Center near the southwest Louisiana city of Eunice.

The blend of strong black coffee, the savory aroma of boudin sausage, lively conversations, and the music create an atmosphere that is unmistakably Cajun.

For more, visit the Heart of Louisiana archive here.

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Louisiana

Army Black Knights, Louisiana Tech Offensive Stars To Watch in Independence Bowl

Published

19 hours ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Army Black Knights, Louisiana Tech Offensive Stars To Watch in Independence Bowl

The Independence Bowl will be a game of offensive contrasts as the Army West Point Black Knights face the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs on Saturday at Independence Stadium.

Kickoff is set for 9:15 p.m. eastern on ESPN.

Army (11-2) enters the game using its run-based attack based on option, deception and power football. If the Black Knights don’t have 34 or 35 minutes of time of possession by game’s end, then they haven’t done their job. Army can create big plays, but the Black Knights would rather grind its opponents down to submission.

Louisiana Tech (5-7) runs a pass-based, Air Raid offense that coach Sonny Cumbie learned from one of his coaches and mentors, the legendary Mike Leach. The former Texas Tech quarterback doesn’t have the talent he needs to make it as effective as the Red Raiders’ glory days offensively. But, he’s found a quarterback that could help get him there in the coming years — if the Bulldogs can hang onto him.

This is the transfer portal era after all.

Here are three offensive players to watch for each team going into Saturday’s contest.

QB Bryson Daily

Daily was the American Athletic Conference offensive player of the year and was sixth in Heisman Trophy voting. He is the focal point of this offense. He’s rushed for 1,532 yards and 29 touchdowns (tied for most in FBS) and has thrown for another 942 yards with nine touchdowns and four interceptions. If LA Tech wants to win, it has to slow him down. Look at the Navy tape for a template.

RB Noah Short

With Kanye Udoh’s transfer to Arizona State, the bulk of the complementary backfield work may fall to short, who was the Black Knights’ third-leading rusher this season. He rushed for 542 yards and two touchdowns but gained more yards per carry (7.7) than Udoh (6.2).

This is Daily’s swan song so he’ll get plenty of work. But Short needs to be a solid complement. He’s also one of Army’s top passing targets with 17 catches for 318 yards and three touchdowns.

WR Casey Reynolds

Reynolds leads the Black Knights with 19 receptions for 444 yards and three touchdowns. When Daily looks for a big play down the field, count on Reynolds to be the receiver he’s looking for. It’s been that way all season.

QB Evan Bullock

He finally emerged with the starting job in late September and the freshman ended up with 1,938 yards, 14 touchdowns and two interceptions as he completed 67% of his passes. That’s a solid start in an offense that requires quick passing and high accuracy. Bullock has both, but he’s also been sacked 31 times.

RB Omiri Wiggins

The running game can be afterthought in an Air Raid offense. But Wiggins is coming off a huge game in LA Tech’s finale, as he rushed for 129 yards and three touchdowns and three interceptions against Kennesaw State. That was more than a quarter of his output this season (487 yards, four touchdowns).

WR Tru Edwards

The senior is from Shreveport, La., so this is like coming home. And he’s had a huge year for the Bulldogs. Edwards is their leading receiver by a significant margin, with 77 receptions for 897 yards and six touchdowns. He’s caught 25 passes in his last three games but hasn’t found the end zone.

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Louisiana

Letters: State should invest in training mental health providers

Published

1 day ago

December 25, 2024

Press Room

Letters: State should invest in training mental health providers

Most of Louisiana is classified as a mental health professional shortage area, leaving countless families — especially children —without access to critical mental health services. According to the National Survey of Children’s Health, over half of children in Louisiana who experience mental health challenges do not receive the care they need. This is a staggering number given that this study estimates that 30.3% of children ages 3-17 have at least one emotional, developmental or behavioral health disorder. This unmet need has far-reaching consequences, affecting school performance, family stability and community safety.

Addressing this gap starts with investing in higher education programs that train the mental health professionals our state desperately needs. Universities such as the University of Louisiana Monroe, Louisiana State University Shreveport, Louisiana Tech University, Grambling State University, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, McNeese State University, Northwestern State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, University of New Orleans, University of Holy Cross, Tulane University, Nicholls State University, LSU and others play a vital role in preparing skilled counselors, psychologists and social workers.

However, the current capacity of mental health training programs is not sufficient to meet the growing demand. We are facing another potential budget shortfall in Louisiana that could impact higher education. Without adequate funding and resources, these programs may struggle to equip students with the expertise and experience required to enter the workforce.

Investing in these programs is not just about addressing today’s challenges — it is about safeguarding the future of Louisiana. By increasing the number of trained mental health professionals, we can improve outcomes for children and families, reduce the strain on emergency services and foster healthier, more resilient communities.

It is time to prioritize the mental health of our state by supporting higher education programs that make a difference. Together, we can build a brighter, healthier future.

MATTHEW THORNTON

chief executive officer, Center for Children and Families, Inc.

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