SUMMER: NEW AT 4:00, IT TOOK A LOT OF TIME, LOT OF PATIENCE AND RESOURCES, BUT MARINE LIFE ADVOCATES WERE ABLE TO RESCUE A STRANDED DOLPHIN IN VOLUSIA COUNTY THIS WEEK. THE 3-YEAR-OLD FEMALE WAS APPARENTLY TRAPPED FOR WEEKS IN SPRUCE CREEK. MEREDITH: WESH 2’S CLAIRE METZ REPORTS, THE DOLPHIN GOT AWAY FROM HER MOTHER AND HER POD IN THE INTRACOASTAL NEAR PORT ORANGE. CLAIRE: THE FOLKS AT HUBBS RESEARCH INSTITUTE HAVE KNOWN THIS DOLPHIN AND ITS MOTHER SINCE BIRTH BECAUSE OF PARTICULAR MARKINGS ON THE ANIMALS. THEY LAST SAW THE PAIR IN THE INTRACOASTAL IN FEBRUARY, THEN WEEKS AGO GOT WORD OF A LONE DOLPHIN, ON ITS OWN, SEEMINGLY STRANDED MILES AWAY. >> SHE HAD A DETERIORATING BODY CONDITION, SHE HAD SKIN LESIONS. CLAIRE: TERESA JABLONSKI IS A SCIENTIST WITH HUBBS, THE NON-PROFIT RESEARCH BRANCH OF SEAWORLD, AND BOTH ORGANIZATIONS RESPONDED TO SPRUCE CREEK 5 WEEKS AGO, WHERE THEY DISCOVERED THE JUVENILE DOLPHIN PACING IN A VERY SMALL AREA BENEATH A RAILROAD BRIDGE. >> THAT RAILROAD BRIDGE CREATED A BARRIER. THERE WERE REALLY SHALLOW OYSTER BEDS THAT PREVENTED THE DOLPHIN FROM EXITING. CLAIRE: DOLPHINS ARE SOCIAL ANIMALS, SO BEING ALONE, PARTICULARLY AT A YOUNG AGE, IS A HEALTH THREAT AND FRESH WATER IS NOT A HEALTHY HABITAT FOR DOLPHINS OVER THE WEEKS, THEY TRIED THREE TIMES TO RESCUE HER. FINALLY, THE RIGHT RESOURCES WERE IN PLACE WEDNESDAY. >> WE WERE CONSTANTLY ON THE RADIO, COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER, ORGANIZING WHERE WE EACH NEEDED TO BE, HAVING FOLKS THAT WERE SKILLED IN THE WATER WITH WETSUITS, BOOTIES, LIFE VESTS. CLAIRE: OUT OF THE WATER, A VETERINARIAN DISCOVERED ANOTHER LIFE-THREATENING ISSUE. >> HER RIGHT FLIPPER WAS BADLY ENTANGLED IN BRAIDED FISHING LINE AND WIRE AND THAT HAD BEEN THERE FOR SOME TIME, SO IT WAS DEEPLY EMBEDDED. CLAIRE: THE DOLPHIN WAS TREATED AND RETURNED TO THE INTRACOASTAL, THE SAME AREA WHERE SHE WAS LAST SPOTTED WIT HER POD -- AND JUST IN TIME FOR MOTHERS DAY. >> WE SPOTTED A COUPLE OF DOLPHINS OFF IN THE DISTANCE AND AS WE APPROACHED WE REALIZED SHE HAD REUNITED WITH HER MOTHER, SO THAT WAS SO COOL. CLAIRE: SCIENTISTS AT HUBBS RESEARCH WILL RETURN TO THE INTRACOASTAL, JUST TO CHECK ON THE 3-YEAR-OLD DOLPHIN TO ENSURE SHE’S STILL DOING WELL. IN VOLUSIA COUNTY, CLAIRE METZ, WESH 2 NEWS. SUMMER: REUNITED WITH HER MOM, WHAT A GREAT STORY. IN ADDITION TO HUBBS-SEAWORLD, A NUMBER OF OTHER AGENCIES WERE PART O