"Among all the destruction and loss from Hurricane Katrina, this dolphin rescue is a bit of good news," said Bill Hogarth, NOAA Fisheries Service director, in the NOAA press release.
"It is a wonderful example of partners coming together to bring the dolphins to safety."
The rescue effort involved NOAA, the Marine Life Oceanarium, U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Air National Guard, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gulf World Marine Park and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute.
All eight dolphins have been moved to emergency holding tanks at the U.S. Navy's Seabee base, where they will receive medical attention and be evaluated for diseases.
"They are now in a situation where full diagnostics can be done and medical care can be provided," said Teri Rowles, lead veterinarian for the NOAA Fisheries Service, in the NOAA press release.
"The rescue team remains cautiously optimistic that they will recover from this ordeal."
The dolphins were discovered on Saturday, Sept. 10, at the mouth of the Port of Gulfport near the ruins of the Marine Life Oceanarium nearly two weeks after they were swept out of their tank by storm surges from Hurricane Katrina, according to the organization's Web site.
They were swimming in water polluted with petroleum products and other chemicals dumped from nearby facilities during the storm.
