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Dolphin freed from fishing line in Florida's Indian River Lagoon

The Brief A dolphin tangled in fishing line earlier this spring has been spotted swimming freely. Wildlife officials confirm the animal is no longer in distress, though scars remain. The outcome offers rare hope in the ongoing threat of marine debris entanglements. BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A dolphin once tangled in fishing line in the Indian River Lagoon is now swimming free, according to wildlife experts, bringing a wave of relief to the community and researchers who had been searching for weeks. What we know A dolphin previously seen critically entangled in fishing line in the Indian River Lagoon has been spotted swimming freely, according to the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute. New video evidence confirms the animal is no longer in distress and appears to be healthy, though it bears scars where the fishing line was embedded. What we don't know It remains unclear exactly how the dolphin freed itself. No one witnessed the entanglement being removed, and researchers can only speculate that the fishing gear may have caught on a rock or piling, allowing the animal to struggle free. The backstory The dolphin was first reported in late March by boater Sean Beard in Sikes Creek. His early warning prompted a widespread search by wildlife officials, who scoured nearly 40 miles of waterways looking for the injured animal. Despite their efforts, weeks went by without a confirmed sighting. Big picture view Entanglements in marine debris, such as fishing lines, pose a growing threat to dolphins and other marine life. Successful outcomes like this are rare and offer hope—but they also highlight the importance of public vigilance and rapid reporting. What they're saying Sean Beard ran along a sea wall two weeks ago grabbing some videos when he first saw a struggling dolphin swimming below the wall. "I don't like to see no animal suffer like that," said Sean Beard who's a local fishermen and captured video of the dolphin. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information shared by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and boater Sean Beard.