Quick thinking from locals helped lead to the rescue of a large bottlenose dolphin from the shallows of an estuary in Otago over the weekend.
Lifeguard Maaike Duncan told 1News the dolphin was first located in the water about 50m off State Highway 1 near Manse Road in Blueskin Bay, north of Dunedin.
When she was called to the incident after midday on Sunday, Duncan discovered members of the public had already made a “makeshift sling” and had it underneath the dolphin to begin a rescue effort.
Duncan said the Department of Conservation was on its way, but the rescue effort was well underway due to help from members of the public and a local dolphin expert who were at the scene.
Reflecting on the rescue, Duncan said it “wouldn’t have been possible” without their help.
“The water in the area usually dries up during low tide. It was so lucky it wasn’t dried up.”
While keeping the volunteers safe, lifeguards helped the public go out as far as they could before DOC arrived. Duncan said it was a “long way” before the dolphin was able to safely be released.
When DOC arrived, it put the dolphin in a yellow inflatable sling, and continued walking the dolphin out with help from Dive Otago.
Duncan said at this point lifeguards were assisting in taking the volunteers out of the area safely.
By the time the dolphin was released it was about 3pm, she added.
“We couldn’t go as far out as we had hoped, but we all made lots of noise when we let it go to stop it swimming back.”
With the water in the area drying up over low tide, Duncan added it was “so lucky” the public stepped in to help.
“It was a big effort … It was [my] first and hopefully the last time this happens.”
