The community of Jeffreys Bay and the NSRI rallied together to help a beached dolphin and it was successfully returned it to the ocean.
Jeffreys Bay, South Africa – NSRI Jeffreys Bay duty controller Ernie Schmidt confirmed that members of the public called them to report a beached dolphin on Saturday.
The NSRI Station 37 Jeffreys Bay duty crew were activated to the dolphin which had washed onto rocks at Lower Point, Jeffreys Bay. The crew responded to the scene where they found an adult dolphin beached on the rocks.
“2 young male fishermen and members of the public had tried to get the dolphin into the sea without success. The dolphin had scrapes and cuts on its fins suspected to have been caused from washing onto the rocks.”
The Marine Animal Stranding Network was called and they sent a vet to the beach to check on the beached animal.
“The Vet deemed the dolphin to be in good health despite the minor cuts and assisted by members of the public NSRI loaded the dolphin onto a bakkie and the dolphin was transported to Dolphin Beach and loaded onto the NSRI sea rescue craft Project Group Rescuer and released 1.5 kilometers out to sea.”
Once back in the water, the dolphin swam around the sea rescue craft a few times before raising its head out the water, almost as if it were saying thank you and then disappeared into the ocean.
The NSRI are cautiously optimistic that the dolphin has survived they have also commend the members of the public who assisted on the scene.
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