. >> reporter: while one team works on land on the criminal side, cynthia smith leads a team of scientists trying to rehabilitate. >> there were 100 and then 60 and 30. and now there's fewer than 30. >> the dilemma was if we brought an animal into our care and it was showing us clear evidence that it wasn't acclimating to humans, that's when the difficulty comes in. there's 15 left. there's so few of them left to release them back knowing the nets are there, and they may drown tomorrow. >> reporter: it's a dilemma they faced head on when after weeks of trying they finally spot the elusive vakita. >> i remember the call. we have two out three miles north of the buoy. everyone was racing there. they're like okay, this is it. >> it's like a lightning bolt. it goes across the water and everybody just feels the energy and the excitement, but also the tension. and the nerves. >> suddenly it was there. it was real. it was in front of us. no ghosts. really there. my god, we all fell in love with it. it was an amazing experience to be so close to an animal that never had ever been close to. nobody