BajaNomad

Saving a Dolphin?

DianaT - 2-5-2012 at 07:22 PM

A dolphin was beached today in the bay. When Jamie, the Reserve Rep was notified, he and his family went into action quickly.

Jamie, Elide and their girls work to get the dolphin upright and headed out to sea.





Some more help arrived and they continued to try and push the poor creature out to sea



They worked so hard and it started to look hopeful



Jamie went out tried to encourage it to go deeper



Sadly, it was not working and the dolphin came back





They kept trying--- it was not easy and they were losing hope.



Out there and still hoping



They called in a boat hoping it could take the dolphin to deeper waters. The girls told me that the poor creature was hurt---not from another animal, but from the sand. No one knew if it was ill or not.



But suddenly, maybe from the noise from the boat, the dolphin disappeared.

We don't know if it survived and returned to the ocean. Maybe it will not survive. While possibly a futile effort, it was quite wonderful to watch this family care so much about another living creature and try so hard to give that creature perhaps a chance to survive. We are so fortunate to have them as such close friends.

David K - 2-5-2012 at 07:24 PM

Great dolphin suicide hotline work!

goldhuntress - 2-5-2012 at 07:44 PM

Good work on the part of the rescuers. I hope it survives!

BigOly - 2-5-2012 at 08:10 PM

sometimes we can only try, but try we must. I hope the little one lives.

Ateo - 2-5-2012 at 08:11 PM

Good try. Hope the dolphin was able to survive.

shari - 2-5-2012 at 09:45 PM

excellent job everyone...did anyone find out what species it was? We drove out along the beach to see if it stranded again further down but saw no sign of it later...will check again tomorrow but lets hope the little feller made it.

DianaT - 2-5-2012 at 10:26 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by shari
excellent job everyone...did anyone find out what species it was? We drove out along the beach to see if it stranded again further down but saw no sign of it later...will check again tomorrow but lets hope the little feller made it.


I have no idea what species it is. Guess we missed you, but John and I didn't see you there ??? We do hope he/she makes it---let us know if you see him/her further south.

[Edited on 2-6-2012 by DianaT]

DianaT - 2-5-2012 at 10:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BigOly
sometimes we can only try, but try we must. I hope the little one lives.


:yes::yes::yes:

[Edited on 2-6-2012 by DianaT]

shari - 2-6-2012 at 09:33 AM

Juan was there and said it was a rare dolphin with an odd shaped beak which is why I was interested to see if someone got photos of the head to identify the species. By the time Juan came to get me...we were having a sunday family visit here...so we all jumped in our trucks to go see the dolphin....everyone was gone when we got there...including the dolphin!

DianaT - 2-6-2012 at 10:10 AM

We left for a short time in the middle of things so I guess we missed Juan.

Hopefully, the dolphin made it---- it sure took off when the boat arrived and was not to be found.

GrOUper-GAr - 2-10-2012 at 10:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by shari
Juan was there and said it was a rare dolphin with an odd shaped beak which is why I was interested to see if someone got photos of the head to identify the species. By the time Juan came to get me...we were having a sunday family visit here...so we all jumped in our trucks to go see the dolphin....everyone was gone when we got there...including the dolphin!


Hi Shari,
There is a small "rare dolphin with an odd shaped beak", known as the Vaquita Dolphin(Phocoena sinus), a rare species of porpoise.
Its Range is the northern Cortez only. (Estimates say only about 200-400 exist today)
---------------------
The harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) also looks similiar, but, I think the Cortez is outa its range.

But I'm no specialist...

-GroUPer

((edit: oops, I saw the Pictures and just assumed they were taken from the Cortez... Now I realized it was probably Asuncion. That Cancels out Vaquita, but a Harbor Porpoise is more in play. There common range is North of central California...))
Photo: Harbor Porpoise

[Edited on 2-11-2012 by GrOUper-GAr]

harbor-porpoises_569_600x450.jpg - 26kB

BajaBlanca - 2-10-2012 at 10:16 PM

I sure hope the odd guy made it back to his group of amigos !

DianaT - 2-11-2012 at 08:58 AM

Yes, we hope he made it---don't know.

Yesterday I asked about the species, but I forgot the long name. Maybe I will ask again and have him write it down for me. :yes:

Roberto - 2-11-2012 at 03:34 PM

Isn't the Vaquita also a smaller size Dolphin compared to say, a Bottlenose?

Very endangered right?

rts551 - 2-11-2012 at 03:50 PM

yes...but limited to the upper Cortez I believe. Got decimated along with the Totuava because of gil nets

Jamie & family....

djh - 2-11-2012 at 05:54 PM

THANK YOU ! ! !

rts551 - 2-11-2012 at 08:22 PM

more info and good pictures

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=319896678061596&s...

shari - 2-11-2012 at 08:24 PM

It wasnt a Vaquita...Juan says it had a dorsal fin further back and a longer beak...sure would be interesting to find out what it was all right....diane do you have any better pics or maybe ask Jaime again por favor.

DianaT - 2-11-2012 at 10:13 PM

From some pictures and descriptions, the Director of the Reserve believes it was un cachalote pigmeo ---

What we think is important is that it was a life in trouble and the family worked hard and for a very long time to try and save it with few others offering to help.



[Edited on 2-12-2012 by DianaT]

DianaT - 2-11-2012 at 10:15 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by rts551
more info and good pictures

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=319896678061596&s...


A rather new facebook page and organization in Bahia Asuncion and a very good one! Lots of things happening!

Chacalote pigmeo

Skipjack Joe - 2-12-2012 at 04:37 AM

is a sperm whale.

cachalote_pigmeo.jpg - 16kB

shari - 2-12-2012 at 07:48 AM

pygmy sperm whale! how cool is THAT!

Thanks for those pictures!

fixtrauma - 2-12-2012 at 08:46 AM