Somers, the injured dolphin, was beginning to make a steady recovery yesterday after vets confirmed he had suffered a fractured jaw in a mysterious incident at his Dockyard home.

General Manager of Dolphin Quest Christine Mihelcic said Somers, who was the first dolphin to be born on the Island, was eating well and interacting with the trainers.

The Royal Gazette reported yesterday how staff at the pool at the Maritime Museum had arrived at work at 7 a.m. on Thursday to discover that the 300-pound mammal had hurt his jaw overnight.

They said they suspected it had been caused by boisterous play between Somers and his seven companions in the pool, the former Dockyard keep.

Vet Nick Glynn, from Endsmeet Animal Hospital, arrived on the scene to help place the dolphin on a stretcher and haul him from the water.

Somers then had a number of X-rays taken, before a bandage was placed around his snout, and he was given a cause of antibiotics before being placed back in the pool.

Yesterday, the diagnosis of a fractured jaw was confirmed by the vet.

Mrs. Mihelcic said: "He's doing well today. We are trying different slips to keep his jaw in place, and he is voluntarily allowing us to take them off and put it back on again.

"He's also voluntarily taking food as well. He will continue to be under 24-hour watch, but he seems to be making progress.

"We have not been able to find out what happened yet. But a lot of play takes place under water, so we may never find out because the cameras may not have picked it up."

Mrs. Mihelcic thanked the many well-wishers who contacted Dolphin Quest yesterday to wish Somers a speedy recovery.

She said: "We have had so many well wishes, it has been very encouraging and supportive."

Inspector for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Charles Whited yesterday said he would be visiting Dolphin Quest to talk to staff and to monitor Somers.

He said: "I was at Endsmeet hospital on Thursday when the vet returned from Dolphin Quest, so I heard what had happened.

"I will be going to Dolphin Quest to have a look and see if I can find out what happened. We have always worked very closely with Dolphin Quest and they have always been extremely careful in the past."