Rehabilitated Sarasota dolphin has a baby

SARASOTA — A dolphin rehabilitated by Mote Marine Laboratory was spotted last week in the water with a newborn baby calf.

The bottlenose dolphin, named Ginger by scientists, was found stranded on Siesta Beach in December 2008 as a 3-year-old. Ginger was taken to Mote's Dolphin and Whale Hospital, where scientists discovered that she was dehydrated and suffering from a respiratory problem. 

But more than a year later, after being fed a diet of largely live fish while at Mote, Ginger was released. She now wears a radio transmitter that allows scientists with the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program to monitor her. 

The calf scientists saw with Ginger last week is her second. In the summer of 2015, Ginger had a baby, but it was lost within six months. 

Scientists say that Ginger's reproduction is a good sign that she is a healthy, thriving dolphin.

"Successful reproduction is a very good indication of successful treatment in rehab," said Randall Wells, director of the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program.