Wayne Eastep

Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins were first taken from the water on special stretchers that had holes for their fins. Then they were loaded onto foam pads in the back of an enclosed truck for transport to the helicopter about a mile away. It was a Sikorsky Medivac aircraft lined with foam. A trainer and veterinarian traveled along keeping the dolphin moist by spraying them with water. The trip would have taken 8-10 hours by truck. Normally after such a move it takes two to four days before the dolphin settle down and begin to eat. The helicopter used is the fastest in the world and was able to make the trip in two and a half hours. The effect was dramatic. Within hours these dolphin transported by helicopter were eating and returning to settled behavior. The Living Seas Aquarium, EPCOT, Buena Vista, Florida