UK: Marra the trapped dolphin is free

The bottlenose dolphin that has been trapped in a dock in Maryport since January 5th has been freed by a team led by British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR).

For some weeks, WDCS officers had been in Maryport monitoring the situation there and working with local people to help to protect the dolphin, which was very vulnerable because it was so easily accessible.

Laura Stansfield, WDCS Captivity Campaign Officer, who spent many long hours in the bitter cold at the dock side was able to show that the dolphin was not getting in and out of the dock when the dock gates were opened. This was an important issue because some people believed that the dolphin was perfectly able to come and go as it pleased. Laura was also able to explain to the many visitors who came to the dock that this was a dangerous situation for the animal. WDCS also helped through the media to dispel some of the other misinformation circulating about this situation. To read more about Marra and efforts to protect and rescue her, please click here.

WDCS would like to congratulate BDMLR for leading the rescue effort that freed Marra. The situation became very critical as the temperature plummeted and the dolphin’s health started to deteriorate. Early attempts to coax the dolphin out failed ( because the dolphin was too scared to cross the massive mechanical gate structure) in the narrow exit channel - and rescuers then tried to drive it using a ‘bubble curtain’ (essentially a noisy wall of bubbles) but this brilliant bit of improvisation also failed.

With ice forming in the dock and experts increasingly concerned about the animal, the decision was made to try to it capture it and take it out to the open sea. To help with this more rescuers arrived on the scene, including Alan Knight, one of the BDMLR founders and directors, and a BDMLR team from the south-west. Capture and handling was always going to be a difficult operation, but on Monday 30th the water level was lowered in the dock and nets deployed. The dolphin was swiftly captured secured in a cradle and hoisted onto a waiting boat. A WDCS officer was present throughout to support the rescue team and to monitor the rescue.

Out at sea, to the surprise of all concerned, other bottlenose dolphins were spotted and Marra was released close by. Marra swam towards them and was last seen swimming out to sea with them.

Hopefully back out in the open sea, Marra will be able to feed normally and because of this and because Marra is not exposed to such cold and polluted water, his/her health will rapidly recover.

Photo credits M & J Wildlife Photography and Laura Stansfield/WDCS

Source: WDCS