Stranding Investigation Program News Today

The carcass of sperm whale that became stranded on a sandbar and died Monday off a Venice-area beach has been towed out to sea.The Sea Tow Venice marine towing service used a heavy towline and rig line, provided by the City of Venice, to take the whale's remains 10-15 miles offshore on Tuesday.

A baby dolphin has been freed after it had gotten itself entangled and weighed down by fishing lines in Sarasota Bay.

The Sarasota Dolphin Research Program was started in 1989 and tracks about 170 dolphins around Sarasota Bay.

Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium released a rehabilitated loggerhead sea turtle named Violet on Wednesday morning into the Gulf of Mexico. Longboat Key projects manager Charlie Mopps and Public Works officer manager Alex Lowe-Mains assisted in Violets release at the 4001 Gulf Mexico Drive public beach access point across the street from Bayfront Park. “Charlie is helping provide the muscle,” Lowe-Mains joked. Mote requested the towns assistance in carrying Violet, and to help stop t...