PARKSVILLE — A baby harbour dolphin has vastly improved chances of survival after tourists discovered the distressed animal on a south Parksville beach.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada marine coordinator Paul Cottrell said the dolphin was found on Sunday, Aug. 14 in a shallow pool at low tide in front of Pacific Shores Resort.
Not only was it having difficulties, but so were the people who spotted it.
“They were very distressed, it’s very emotional seeing a live cetacean stranded and the dolphin did have some scrapes from the rocks,” Cottrell said. “They called me directly and I worked through with them the entire time.”
He said the Good Samaritans did the right thing by contacting Fisheries and Oceans immediately, pointing out the dolphin would not have survived much longer out of its natural environment.
A local expert was called in to assist the animal, which Cottrell said still had its umbilical cord attached.
“Gravity can kill the animal over time when it’s just on their organs, it’s not what they’re used to and it can cause them to re-strand and not be able to survive.”
The dolphin was stabilized and later placed into deeper, cooler water and released with the hopes of reuniting with its mother.
Cottrell estimated the dolphin was about 2-and-a-half feet long and weighed 30 to 40 pounds.
He said in these situations people should contact the Fisheries and Oceans marine mammal incident hotline 24/7 at 1-800-465-4336.
“We’re able to quickly respond either in person or get experts there that can help.”
Cottrell said during August and September baby dolphins periodically end up stranded on coastal beaches.
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