Port Elizabeth - A dolphin stranded on a Port Elizabeth beach has been rescued and returned to sea, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said on Saturday.
NSRI Station 6 in Port Elizabeth were alerted at 7.20am to a dolphin stranded on Cape Recife beach, station commander Ian Gray said.
Sea rescue volunteers, Bay World staff, and members of the Nelson Mandela Bay Marine Animal Stranding Network responded straight to the scene where they found a common dolphin well up on the beach, he said.
A dolphin stranded on a Port Elizabeth beach has been rescued and returned to sea. Picture: NSRI
"We helped Dr Greg Hoffman and the stranding network volunteers to load the adult female common dolphin into their special stretcher and then into the Bay World vehicle to be transported to our sea rescue station.
A dolphin stranded on a Port Elizabeth beach has been rescued and returned to sea. Picture: NSRI
"The sea rescue vessel JLT Rescuer was prepared and after transferring the dolphin to the sea rescue boat we transported her approximately four nautical miles out to sea where she was released at [10.05am]. We are cautiously optimistic that she will survive the ordeal," Gray said.