Young dolphin's rescue in Cardigan Bay: team effort prevails
Dramatic scenes unfolded just a few days ago on the waters of New Quay, Wales. Tourists aboard a dolphin-watching boat spotted a young dolphin drifting in the very shallow waters of the bay, separated from its mother.
A team from Dolphin Spotting Boat Trips noticed two common dolphins close to the shore of Cardigan Bay. With assistance from the public and a local volunteer trained by British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), the rescue team successfully saved the young mammal.
A rare encounter with a common dolphin
Cardigan Bay is a protected area for bottlenose dolphins, making the sighting of a common dolphin a rarity. A video was posted on the company's Facebook page, showing the young dolphin swimming in the shallow waters. The post observed that the dolphin appeared lethargic.
Dramatic rescue operation
Josh Pedley from New Quay, who used to work at SeaMôr Dolphin Watching Boat Trips, was observing the dolphins from the beach. He noticed that the mother had left the young dolphin, possibly because of the nearby presence of a kayaker.
"The tide was still due to be going out for about another two hours, and the lone calf started showing some signs of distress," Pedley reported.
Pedley contacted BDMLR to report the potential stranding of the dolphin on the beach.
“As the tide receded, the waves increased and the calf was getting pushed ever shallower,” he added. When the BDMLR team arrived, they attempted to guide the dolphin to deeper waters, but the waves repeatedly drove it back.
Success through collaboration
The team decided to use a boat from Dolphin Spotting Boat Trips to transport the dolphin to deeper waters. Volunteers entered the water fully clothed to help the dolphin swim to safety. When these attempts proved unsuccessful, they wrapped the dolphin in a blanket and transferred it onto the boat.
After being assessed by marine medics, the dolphin was released back into the sea, this time at a greater depth. The company has reported that the young dolphin has not been seen since, which may be a positive sign.
Following the rescue operation, Dolphin Spotting Boat Trips expressed gratitude to the individuals involved on social media: "Thanks to our dedicated crew and the help and knowledge of the BDMLR trained volunteers and with help from a few passionate helpers a common dolphin calf was rescued from stranding today on the beach at Traeth Gwyn across the water from New Quay main beach."
