Jan 6, 2009 7:05 pm US/Eastern
Group Helping Marine Mammals Needs Help
KEY LARGO (CBS4) ―
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Castaway the deaf dolphin and her calf, who sadly died after a few days. Castaway was rescued by the M.M.C.
Bob Care/Florida Keys News Bureau
The non-profit organization "Marine Mammal Conservancy," or M.M.C., is the first group called when dolphins and whales are found dying on our beaches. Now, the group needs help of its own.
The volunteers who run M.M.C. have to come up with $500,000 to purchase the property where they rehab and study marine mammals, including endangered species. If they don't find the cash, their mission could be over.
When a pod of 50 Rough-Tooth dolphins found themselves starving and stranded, Robert Lingenfelser and the other volunteers of M.M.C. saved more than half of them. When a baby sperm whale that suffered from pneumonia got stuck in some mangroves, the group got her out and humanely euthanized her. And when "Castaway," a pregnant and deaf dolphin beached herself three times, M.M.C. took her in for months. Her calf didn't make it but Castaway survived.
"For me it's been a connection with marine mammals. I feel a connection with them," says Lingenfelser. He gave up a lucrative career as a commercial diver to devote his life to marine mammals 22 years ago.
Out of 120 hurt and sick dolphins and whales that have been brought to M.M.C. 79 were saved, some of them endangered species. That's a 65% success rate.
"I'd say we are the most successful team in the world at what we do," Lingenfelser adds. But that success all depends on their location near mile marker 102 in Key Largo. The group needs the canal and bay-front animal pen available on the property for rehab. They also need enough space to build permanent facilities there.
"There aren't any properties like this left in the Keys," says Lingenfelser.
M.M.C. has spent four years suing the owner of the property to honor their lease, and allow them to buy the land. Last month, a judge sided with them. Now the group has to come up with half a million dollars to purchase the land by March or they'll be out.
M.M.C. relies entirely on corporate grants and private donations and the group has big dreams to reach even more animals. Lingenfelser says, "We're an asset to this community, we want to be an asset to this country and to the world."
To donate your time or money to the Marine Mammal Conservancy,
click here.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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