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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas -- Senior Master Sgt. Todd Patterson and Lea Walker (right) spend time with Noah, a rescued dolphin, on a C-130J Hercules en route to Florida. Aircrew with the 815th Airlift Squadron from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., helped volunteers keep Noah hydrated and comfortable during the three-hour flight. Ms. Walker is the regional director of the Texas Marine Mammal Standing Network. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. James B. Pritchett)

Photo by Tech. Sgt. James B. Pritchett

Reservists airlift dolphin to Florida

18 Jul 2005 | Tech. Sgt. James B. Pritchett

No one knows how or why Noah, a rough-toothed dolphin, ended up near death on a Texas beach last August; however his journey home drew national attention July 15 when he was loaded onto a C-130J Hercules for a flight to Florida.

A crew from Air Force Reserve Command’s 815th Airlift Squadron here was on an unrelated mission when told they were needed to deliver a special cargo.

"We transport a lot of things for the Air Force and for other services, but this is definitely one of the more unusual missions I've ever supported," said Senior Master Sgt. Todd Patterson, a loadmaster.

"I'm just glad we could help out with something like this," said Master Sgt. Steve Campanella, a 403rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief. "This means something, not only to Noah and the people who have worked so hard to get him healthy, but also to the community. Anytime we are able to help out with a humanitarian mission, whether it's carrying hurricane relief supplies in the (United States) or air dropping food in foreign countries, I'm always proud to be a part of those missions."

Lea Walker, regional director of the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network, invited the crew out to meet Noah the day before the flight.

When Noah was first brought in, he was so sick rescuers did not think he had a chance, Ms. Walker said.

"He had so many problems," she said. "We just didn't want to get too attached."

Noah had several infections including ulcerations in his esophageal tract which prevented him from eating his normal diet. He also had an infection in his gums that caused them to swell and cover his teeth.

"That's how he got the name Noah," Ms. Walker said. "When we first saw him we thought he was very old and didn't have any teeth."

It turned out Noah was a middle-aged dolphin between 17 and 22 years old, and showed a determination to live from the beginning. He made a full recovery the past 10-and-a-half months and became healthy enough to travel back to his native waters in Florida.

Ms. Walker and her team of more than 30 volunteers nursed Noah back to health in a warehouse in Corpus Christi, Texas. There is a large tank in the warehouse, 40 feet across and filled with 40,000 gallons of salt water where the team treats injured dolphins like Noah.

Ms. Walker has spent much of her time over the past 10 months searching for donations to keep the project going.

"We have to change the water in the tank every five days," she said. "When we do that we have to add salt because we are using fresh water. The salt alone costs about $1,000 every time we change it out."

Ms. Walker said she is fortunate to have found donors for its many needs such as fish food and medicine.

She was also able to get Coastal America to help arrange the airlift necessary to bring Noah home. Coastal America is a partnership of federal agencies, state and local governments, and private organizations working to protect, preserve and restore the nation’s coasts. Ms. Walker said they never considered moving Noah over land because it would be too dangerous for his health and too traumatic.

To move the more than 300-pound dolphin, Ms. Walker's team had to construct a transport box about 10 feet long and 3 feet wide. He was picked up in a harness and moved over into the box where he laid on air mattresses during the trip.

"We can keep him comfortable in the tank for about a day," she said. "We really don't like to keep him out of the water that long."

When the team arrived at the aircraft, Ms. Walker brought along a small group of handlers who have worked with Noah, and Dr. Tim Tristan, a veterinarian with the Texas State Aquarium. Dr. Tristan kept Noah sedated during the move and monitored his condition. The others kept him wet using sprayers filled with water and kept him calm by talking to him and touching him.

"We are very grateful to the Air Force Reserve for allowing this crew to come and help us move Noah," Ms. Walker said. "I don't know how we would have done it without them. Now I can relax, knowing that Noah is going to be OK.”

"I'm glad we could work this out and that we were able to transport the whole team," said Maj. Erik Olson, pilot and aircraft commander. Major Olson and Capt. Todd Humphries, co-pilot, each took a few minutes to visit Noah during the flight.

After landing at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Noah was brought to Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City, Fla., where he joined three other dolphins.

Rescuers are hoping the dolphins form a small pod and stick together when they are released back into the Gulf of Mexico.