MIAMI - Wildlife officials Thursday were treating 36 dolphins for dehydration after dozens of the marine mammals stranded themselves in shallow waters just offshore in southern Florida.
About 80 rough-toothed dolphins had stranded themselves Wednesday close to shore off the Florida Keys chain of islands.
Four have since died, according to Cheza Heck, a spokeswoman for the National Marine Sanctuary, who was out in the water trying to save the dolphins.
About 20 dolphins managed to swim back out to deeper water, while 20 more remained beached Wednesday on a sandbar off Marathon, 180 miles (110 kilometers) south of Miami, Heck told AFP.
Thirty-six of the stranded dolphins were placed into a pen, where they were being treated for dehydration.
Veterinarians were assessing the marine mammals, and taking blood samples to decide which of them could be released.
Those too weak swim away immediately will be sent to a rehabilitation center, but any thought to be too sick might have to be euthanized, said Heck.
Rough-toothed dolphins are found in tropical and warm temporate waters, and usually stay in deep water far offshore.
03/03/2005 19:30 GMT