missing animals as sightings dwindled yesterday.

Trainers again made contact with adult male Gibbs, but there was only one other dolphin sighting -- miles away near Coney Island on the North Shore.

However, Dolphin Quest's director of corporate communications Chris Heslop denied it was a lost cause.

In the first days after their Monday escape the dolphins had kept between Elbow Beach in Paget and Church Bay in Warwick and hundreds of callers had called in after spotting the missing mammals.

As the animals appeared to be moving away from their south shore base, Mr.

Heslop said: "They are coastal animals exploring their territory. They are exploring unfamiliar surroundings.'' He added: "The waters are calmer on the North Shore.

"We have dispatched trainers in the Department of Fisheries boat to identify the dolphin and to see if there are other dolphins with it.'' Dolphin Quest is confident of bringing in Gibbs as soon as the destroyed pen at Southampton Princess has been repaired.

Mr. Heslop said: "We managed to feed him five times today. He's eaten about 20 pounds of food.

"He's happy but has suffered some minor scratches on his side which are already beginning to heal.

"We've been out on a boat and on a surf board feeding him. He recognises our faces and voices.'' Still missing are mother Cirrus, her three-month-old calf, and adult female Dobber.

Mr. Heslop said he was sure the dolphin near North Shore was from Dolphin Quest.

He said: "There have been wild dolphins in the Bermuda area but that was at the beginning of the summer and they were about ten to 15 miles offshore.

"We're having fewer sightings now because earlier in the week there were a lot of people off work.

"We are hoping there will be many more people helping us this weekend.'' Plea to help find dolphins He appealed for the whole Island to help find the missing three.

Dolphin Quest is now spreading their eight teams of two spotters further afield.

"We've now got them between Church Bay and the Mermaid Beach Club,'' he said.

"The public response has been great and we would appeal for everybody who lives near water to help us.

"If you see anything, then make a note of the time and the location and call us.'' The company also wants anyone with a suitable boat to join a weekend flotilla in search of the missing mammals.

He said: "Anybody with a boat can help out. We will vet the boats although it is at the owner's risk.

"We are hoping to get a VHF band from Harbour Radio -- so if people spot a dolphin, they can call the control centre and we will come straight out.'' But he added: "It's very important people don't try to make contact with the dolphins themselves.

"Our animals are fed restaurant quality fish. We don't want people who have been fishing pulling out their catch for them. That could be detrimental to their health.'' If you have a suitable boat and are keen to help look for the missing dolphins on Saturday and Sunday then call 239-6957. You can also call this number if you have spotted them from the shore.