Dolphin found stranded with broken jaw recovering at SeaWorld

A dolphin with a broken jaw that was found stranded on a beach in Oceanside last week continues to recover Monday as it receives around the clock care by SeaWorld experts who rescued the injured mammal last week.

An x-ray found that the 120 pound long-beak common dolphin, which is thought to be three to four years old, had a fracture in its upper jaw.

The dolphin, dubbed Rosey, was found Thursday evening on Saint Malo beach. Park officials say it is considered to be in guarded and critical condition and that it has received pain medication for the broken jaw and antibiotics to stave off any infections. He has shown some slight improvement and a better appetite which his caretakers say is a good sign. The animal also is able to swim without the floatation jacket that was made for him

It’s unclear how the dolphin’s jaw came to be broken but experts say that it’s possible he was chasing fish in shallow water and hit a rock, park officials said.

Officials say it is too early for a long-term prognosis but that they will “continue to do everything possible to give Rosey a second chance at life.”

So far this year SeaWorld San Diego has rescued 410 marine mammals, 200 birds and several sea turtles.