A dolphin was saved after swimming six miles up a river in Cornwall, thanks to a dedicated rescue team who helped it return to the sea safely
The British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) heard about it on a Sunday. They quickly gathered a team of marine mammal medics and vets. They knew they had to act fast to get the dolphin back to the sea.
Gavin Parsons, the BDMLR director, was one of the first on the scene. He saw the dolphin swimming around but realized it was in trouble. It was disoriented and needed help to find its way back.
Leaving it overnight wasn’t a good idea. So, the team decided to move the dolphin back to the coast. They chose Polkerris harbor because it was easy to access and sheltered.
Once the dolphin was checked and ready, they fitted it with a satellite tag. This way, they could keep an eye on it after release. When they carried it into the sea, the dolphin quickly kicked and swam off into the night.
The last sighting was as it headed toward St Austell Bay. Fingers crossed it finds its pod again! If anyone spots a marine mammal in distress, they should call BDMLR’s rescue hotline.
