The Southern Cape Marine Animal Stranding Network, with the help of the NSRI, rescued a beached Striped Dolphin and took it to the safety of deeper water.
Plettenberg Bay, South Africa (02 June 2022) – Marine animals are fascinating because we never get to see them entirely; they always offer a splash of the tail and then they are off, leaving onlookers in awe. Recently, a rescue mission helped a beached Striped Dolphin get back to the safety of deep waters.
The NSRI Plettenberg Bay rescue team were called to assist earlier this week when a dolphin was found beached and the waves too volatile for rescuers to get it to safety via the beach.
Jaco Kruger, NSRI Plettenberg Bay station commander, shared the rescue news, and we were so happy to hear everything went well.
At 07h30, Wednesday, 1 June, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were alerted by the Southern Cape Marine Animal Stranding Network, who had a member of their team on the scene at Dune Park, Keurbooms Beach, where a Striped Dolphin was found to have beached.
“Our NSRI rescue vehicle, additional NSRI rescue swimmers, additional Southern Cape Marine Animal Stranding Network members and their marine scientist responded and Eastern Cape Marine Animal Stranding Network members were alerted.
On arrival on the scene attempts were made by the teams, including the marine animal stranding network members, and NSRI rescue swimmers, to swim the Striped Dolphin out to sea but these attempts were suspended in the rough sea conditions, large breaking swells and with the backline relatively far off-shore.”
They needed to get the dolphin out to sea; the next option was to get the dolphin there using the NSRI rescue craft Ray Farnham Rescuer. They arranged for a special stretcher, and the animal was safely loaded onto the boat.
“Aboard Ray Farnham Rescuer our NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew transported and released the dolphin at sea about 2 nautical miles off-shore.
The dolphin appeared strong and healthy and swam away appearing to be swimming with confidence.
We are cautiously optimistic that the dolphin has survived this ordeal.
It remains unknown the cause of the dolphin beaching.
The shoreline will continue to be monitored.
We commend the public members who raised the alarm.
The Pelagic animal is normally found in deep tropical and temperate waters.”
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