Dolphin freed from River
Dolphin successfully freed from being trapped in the Preston River!
A young dolphin found itself in a difficult position after entering the Preston River during a high tide about a week ago, probably hunting for fish. It was able to swim further upriver than usual as trees and logs usually block these parts. On the way home with a lower tide, it hit a river blockage in the form of four large trees that it couldn't overcome. Dolphins use echolocation to find their way through murky water, and the trees stacked up behind each other appear to a dolphin like a solid wall.
Locals from 'Thommo's Community Garden's' alarmed the Dolphin Centre on Thursday after realising the dolphin was stuck. We deployed a team to assess the situation, then consulted with Parks and Wildlife Service, Western Australia (DBCA), how to proceed. The dolphin wasn't in immediate danger as it had several hundred meters of river to swim with good fish stocks. It wasn't stressed but kept coming back every 10 mins to check on the tree situation.
We decided that it would be best for the animal to create a pathway by removing parts of the trees that would be wide enough to swim downriver towards the Leschenault Estuary. Our team of Volunteers worked hand in hand with Parks and Wildlife Officers and Rangers cutting tree branches and then removing them with 4WD's, slings, and chains. After several hours, a 3 m wide channel was opened, deep enough for the dolphin to swim through. It took, however, another three days for the dolphin to investigate this new escape route during which it was monitored by our team frequently. Finally, today, it was making its way towards open water, much to the excitement of everyone involved.
Thank you to all the helpers! If you find a dolphin in distress, please contact Wildcare Helpline on 9474 9055 or the Dolphin Discovery Centre Bunbury 9791 3088.
To learn more about our work and see how you can help, please visit https://dolphindiscovery.com.au/bunbu.... Donations of $2 and above are tax deductible or consider a Dolphin Adoption.
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