Stranded dolphin dies despite rescue effort

A dolphin found stranded in Cass Pond at Covehead on Friday has died, much to the dismay of the rescue party that tried for two hours to get the dolphin back into open waters.

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It's the last of five white-sided dolphins found in a mass stranding off the North Shore of P.E.I. over the last two days and the first to die during the rescue effort.

One dolphin was already dead when it was found Thursday, but two were rescued near Savage Harbour, and one near Rustico. All three of those rescued dolphins were released back into the ocean successfully.

"We felt good yesterday, but we don't feel so good today, but that's kind of the way it goes," said Chuck Gallison of P.E.I.'s Department of Environment, which along with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Marine Animal Response Society found the dolphin stranded in Cass Pond on Friday.

The rescue team used a sling to transport the dolphin down Cass Pond into Covehead Harbour, where they met up with DFO officials in a zodiac boat, and drove the dolphin past the Covehead bridge into open water.

Suddenly stopped moving

That's when things took a turn for the worse. The rescue crew noticed the dolphin shake its fin a couple of times against the side of the boat, and suddenly stop moving. They checked its breathing, and realized it had died.

It made us all feel not very well. It was a good rescue effort, but unfortunately it ended in the death of the dolphin.- Chuck Gallison

"During the ride out, it can be very stressful for any wild animal that's captured," Gallison said. "During the ride out, the dolphin went into what I call a bit of a stress thing, it banged its head and tail very heavily, and unfortunately it passed away. It made us all feel not very well. It was a good rescue effort, but unfortunately it ended in the death of the dolphin."

The cause of the death is unknown, but the province said it was stress related, and could have been a heart attack.

The body of the dolphin has been taken to the AVC for a necropsy.

This is the first time in about 10 years Gallison says he's seen mass stranding this large, which required several rescues.

Usually in these cases, the animals are already dead.

Could be more dolphins in area

Gallison says it's possible there could be more dolphins in the area.

Heavy wind and rough seas brought them inland, likely chasing fish, he said. Because there are lots of bays along the coast, they can get in, but have a hard time getting back out, he said.

"They don't see that well, they are very sonar driven. She got into this big fishing pool, and she needed help to get back out."

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