On April 20, 2010, an oil drilling platform 50 miles off the shores of Mississippi and Louisiana blew up and collapsed releasing thousands of gallons of oil. This oil spill could be detrimental to marine mammals, sea turtles, birds, and fish. Rescuers from the IMMS are prepared to respond to any marine mammals or sea turtles that may be compromised by the spill.

WLOX follows Dr. Sharon Walker and the Ocean-Expo Summer Camp aboard the pontoon boat 'Curlew' to learn about marine animals, plants, and habitats. Children learn to fish and enjoy the natural environment with knowledgeable staff and instructors.

The new IMMS Ocean Expo Summer Camp began this week. Even with oil on the beach, children can learn about our local marine ecosystems. In fact, now is the perfect time for them to learn to appreciate and protect our marine habitats. The camp includes trips to the beach and marsh, boat rides, learning to fish and crab, and much much more.

Officials from Biloxi and Gulfport say they are disappointed that the new Oceanarium will not be located in their cities. All three cities put together attractive proposals but, in the end, D'Iberville won. Includes interviews and comments from the officials from Biloxi and Gulfport.

Ocean Expo will be built in D'lberville and will be an interactive attraction with marine mammals, aquariums, and birds. It will feature both indoor and outdoor exhibits as well as a restaurant. D'Iberville hopes that the new aquarium will draw tourists and attract additional developments.

IMMS announced that the new Ocean Expo Learning Center will be located in D'Iberville. This unique attraction will add a family friendly dynamic to tourism on Mississippi Gulf Coast. The D'Iberville site was chosen due to its proximity to I-10, elevation, and insurance costs.

Katrina destroyed the coast's marine education and entertainment centers but rebuilding has begun. The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies began with the Center for Marine Education and Research and now has plans to build a new public entertainment aquarium on the Coast. Dr. Sharon Walker will be joining IMMS as the new Director of Education for the Center and the new facility.

The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies responds to the 11th stranding this year on the Mississippi and Alabama coast. The dolphin was found on a beach in Pascagoula. There are typically more dolphin strandings in the spring. The tissue samples taken from each stranded dolphin can help us to understand issues affecting the marine environment.

Dr. Moby Solangi and Dr. Sharon Walker discuss future plans for a new marine center that will be opening on the Coast. Dr. Sharon Walker, former head of J.L. Scott Marine Education Center at the University of Southern Mississippi will be joining the Institute to enhance the educational experience at both the Center for Marine Education and Research and new attraction.

Dr. Sharon Walker, former head of the J. L. Scott education center in Biloxi, MS, will join IMMS as Director of Education and Outreach. Dr. Walker has been involved in public education for over 20 years, and has worked with organizations like NOAA, Stennis Space Center, EPA, and USM Gulf Coast Research Lab. Dr. Walker will be a great asset for IMMS, and she plans to expand and enhance the educational experiences offered by IMMS.

Marlin Miller, an artist well known for his tree sculptures along Hwy 90, recently visited the Institute to carve three dolphins. The beautiful cedar dolphins were constructed on site and the entire process was documented for this segment on ‘Mississippi Roads’. When planning your next visit to the Center for Marine Education and Research, be sure to bring a camera for an excellent photo opportunity.

The Institute responds to strandings in Alabama. Fox 10 News reports on stranded dolphin and pelican carcasses that have been found littering the beaches in Baldwin County Alabama. Includes an eye-witness report and an interview with Dr. Moby Solangi.

The Press Register visits IMMS to report on the rescued dolphin and the marine mammal stranding workshop that will take place on January 9, 2010 at the University of South Alabama.

Sun Herald Article (November 29, 2009)

The Sun Herald provides an update on the condition of the dolphin rescued in Gulf Shores AL, after Tropical Storm Ida.

The Today Show, which broadcasts to a national audience, features the latest dolphin rescue and shares our message of conservation with the nation.The segment includes footage of the amazing November 10th dolphin rescue and a peak at how the dolphin is doing now.

Press Register Article (November 13, 2009)

The Press-Register provides a detailed account of the bottlenose dolphin rescue that took place on November 10, 2009 after Ida made landfall.

Read the Sun Herald's update on the dolphin in rehabilitation at the Center for Marine Education and Research. The dolphin was discovered stranded on November 10, 2009. It is assumed that the dolphin was washed ashore when Hurricane Ida made landfall.

WLOX reporter Steve Phillips visits IMMS to document the amazing rescue of a young bottlenose dolphin that was found stranded on the beach on November 10, 2009. The dolphin is currently receiving treatment at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport.

On Tuesday, November 10 2009, in the aftermath of hurricane Ida, a male, juvenile Atlantic bottlenose dolphin was found stranded on a remote beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Local officials contacted the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies (IMMS), the designated marine mammal stranding response organization for the area. Upon arrival, the IMMS team found the 190 lb. dolphin stranded 150 yards from the water line. (read more)

IMMS was featured in the Sun Herald over the weekend!  The Sea Explorer’s Club, a brand new program offered at IMMS, is designed for all ages and features classes that teach participants how to snorkel, fish, and set up their own aquarium! The first Sea Explorer’s Club “Secrets of SCUBA” will be held on Saturday, October 24th. Call (228) 896-9182 to sign up today!

On September 15, IMMS staff attended a manatee stranding workshop held at the LSU campus. The workshop, hosted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, included a seminar and necropsy training session for Gulf Coast stranding networks. Manatees are endangered and may suffer cold stress in winter. If you see a manatee along the Gulf Coast of MS, please report the sighting to IMMS for further monitoring.

IMMS hosted it’s third “Take Pride in the Tide” Beach Clean-up on July 18, 2009. This year’s event was a great success! We had an amazing turnout, with 107 participants!  In fact, everyone was so diligent, that we collected a total of 120 bags of trash!  Thanks to everyone that participated!!!

WLOX reporter Steve Phillips report on dolphin research. He joins IMMS staff on a research trip in the Mississippi Sound to discover why these delightful creatures are important to humans and the environment.

Seven dolphin calves and two adult dolphins have beached in Harrison County in the last two weeks but there aren’t reports of other marine life dying. “I’m not alarmed,” said Moby Solangi, director of the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport. “This year is a little bit unusual,” he said, but “these spikes occur all the time.”

Dolphin calves are found stranded along the Mississippi Coast. The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies works to examine the animals and urges the public to report all sightings of dolphins washed up on the beach.

Researchers at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies host a 'Stranding Seminar' for local law enforcers in order to provide information about what to do when a stranding occurs. Time is critical when responding to strandings and these officers are often informed first.

As dolphin calves continue to wash up on Biloxi and Gulfport beaches, researchers from the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies are called to investigate.  All sightings of stranded marine mammals should be reported as soon as possible by calling 1-888-SOS DOLPHIN.

The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies investigates the deaths of two stranded dolphin calves that were found on Saturday. The two calves were found on Biloxi Beach near the Beau Rivage Resort.

The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies is featured on Rebecca Powers South Mississippi Heroes segment which highlights local heroes. Includes interview with IMMS founder Moby Solangi and the touching story of the rescue of eight dolphins swept out to sea by Hurricane Katrina.

A dolphin found stranded in Pass Christian died over the weekend. The dolphin was undergoing rehabilitation at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies located in Gulfport, MS. Dedicated staff and volunteers at the Institute worked around the clock to care for the dolphin but, unfortunately, the dolphin did not make it.

The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies responded to a live dolphin stranding in Pass Christian, MS. The dolphin was in critical condition and was transported to the Institute for rehabilitation. The 550 lb. dolphin was being treated for respiratory problems and parasites and needed assistance staying afloat.

A Harrison County kindergarten class enjoys a field trip at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies. The students experience a hands-on approach to learning about the marine environment including seeing and touching living marine creatures.

The IMMS stranding team had a busy year! Generally, the majority of strandings reported along the Mississippi Gulf Coast occur between the months of February and May.

With the new Center for Marine Education and Research soon to be open, The Sun Herald interviews Moby Solangi, President of the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, about the new facility, and the Institutes’ famous Katrina dolphin rescues.

Steve Phillips visits the recently completed Center for Marine Education and Research located on the industrial seaway canal in Gulfport.  The Center will provide a place for students and the public to learn about the marine environment.

The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies hosts its second Take Pride in the Tide Beach Cleanup in Gulfport.  The beach cleanup gained support from many community businesses who donated raffle prizes for those who participated in the event. 

A Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle was collected by Marine Patrol officials after receiving reports of the animal swimming with a fishing hook in its mouth. After spending the weekend under observation, the animal was released back into the Mississippi Sound on July 7, 2008.

The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies launched the Take Pride in the Tide Beach Beautification Project which was held in Biloxi. By hosting the beach cleanup, the Institute hopes to raise awareness for marine conservation. The Institute plans to continue hosting the Take Pride in the Tide Beach Cleanup’s at different beaches across the Mississippi Gulf Coast.