Michelle Christenson/Caller-Times file SAVING ANIMALS: The Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network in Corpus Christi has 50 trained volunteers who watch over sick and injured marine mammals 24 hours a day.

Volunteers help dolphins heal
50-person group treats sick marine mammals around the clock

By Dan Parker, Caller-Times

   Help the dolphins
   If you find a beached dolphin on Mustang or Padre islands, page the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network at 844-0022 or (361) 224-0813.
   The dolphin was in sad shape when passersby found him lying on a Mustang Island beach in late 1994. He had pneumonia, liver problems and growths over his eyes that temporarily blinded him.
   A group of rescuers whisked the dolphin to a recovery tank at the Texas State Aquarium and named him Xeno. Some didn't think he'd live. But after several months of treatment, the dolphin defied the odds. He recovered.
   "It was, I tell you, one of the most fulfilling things I've ever done," said Linda Price May, an official with the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network in Corpus Christi. "Here was this terribly emaciated animal ... and we were able to take this thin animal and fatten him up."
   Trained volunteers
   When a dolphin or small whale beaches itself in the Coastal Bend, a trained volunteer corps of more than 50 people plunges into action, watching and treating the sick or injured marine mammal around the clock.
   For many volunteers with Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network, the experience of working with such charming and intelligent animals is immensely rewarding, especially when they are able to heal an animal and release it back into the wild.
   But the experience also can be an emotional investment that leads to grief.
   In 1999, Steve Lakes and other volunteers cared for Eve, a young female dolphin suffering from meningitis and other ailments. While shying away from others, Eve trusted Lakes. She rolled over and accepted belly scratches from him.
   'That one got to me'
   But, despite efforts by Lakes and other volunteers to restore Eve's health, the dolphin died.
   "That one got to me," said Lakes, who co-owns L&M Engraving, a sign-making business. "If we'd had another one in the next six to eight months, I don't think I could have done it. Everyone attaches eventually to one of these animals."
   After Xeno was cured, volunteers traveling in two boats took the dolphin about 12 miles off Port Aransas and lowered him into the choppy water and let him go.
   "It's really a magnificent feeling," May said. "It makes our hearts soar."
   Other attractions
   Texas State Aquarium
   The aquarium focuses exclusively on aquatic life found in the Gulf of Mexico. 2710 N. Shoreline Blvd. 881-1200. www.texasstateaquarium.org
   Corpus Christi Cathedral
   With its late Spanish Colonial design, which includes red-clay tile roof and belltowers, it is one of the most visually striking buildings in town. It also holds regular concerts. 505 N. Upper Broadway. 883-4213.
   Heritage Park
   Nine historic Corpus Christi homes, the oldest dating back to 1851, have been beautifully restored and stationed within walking distance of each other at this downtown park. Come and experience a piece of the past on one of the guided tours. 1681 N. Chaparral St. 883-0639.
   Fulton Mansion State _Historical Park
   One of the few surviving examples of a high-style Victorian suburban villa in Texas, this house was built in 1874 by cattle baron George Fulton and has plenty of ornate trimwork and 19th-century furnishings. 402 Fulton Beach Road, Fulton. (361) 729-0386. www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/fulton/_fulton.htm
   Corpus Christi _Botanical Gardens
   This 180-acre site along Oso Creek showcases colorful, exotic floral exhibits, such as the Orchid House, with 2,500 orchids, the plumeria collection and the Hibiscus Garden. Check out the new pavilion at the Rose Garden. 8545 S. Staples St. 852-2100.