Fourth dolphin stranded on Perlis beach in four days

 

A bottlenose dolphin was found stranded at the Padang Keria beach near Kampung Sungai Padang, Kangar yesterday, the fourth found along those shores in as many days.

The dolphin was discovered at about 9am by fisherfolk who alerted a Marine Mammal Conservation (Marecat) representative in Japan.

The conservation group in Japan alerted its local members and partners, who rushed to the scene.

They successfully assisted the dolphin into deeper waters by 1.13pm, environmental NGO Perlis Nature and Wildlife (PNW) said on Facebook.

"We observed until the dolphin managed to swim further in about 150m. Its eyes were also open, indicating that it had recovered and is energetic," said Fahmi Radzi, a PNW member who assisted in the operations.

Others involved in the operations include the state Fisheries Department.

"This case is the fourth in four days and the fifth this year, along the Kuala Perlis-Sanglang beach," PNW added. 

An Irrawaddy dolphin carcass, believed to have been dead for a week, was spotted at the beach near Kampung Kurung Tengar, Kuala Perlis on Monday, while fisherfolk helped guide three other dolphins back to sea in separate incidents last week.

In the successful cases, the fisherfolk helped carry the dolphins into deeper waters so they could swim back out.

PNW founder Syamil Abd Rahman told Utusan Malaysia that this species of dolphin, the Kogia, is unexpected in Perlis.

Marecat data showed previous sightings in Kedah, Terengganu and off the island of Sipadan in Sabah, he said.

The dolphin found at Padang Keria yesterday is estimated to be five years old and was caught in some driftwood which stopped it from swimming back into deeper water, Syamil said.

It is believed to have swum closer to the shore to hunt for fish, he added.

PNW urged all who spot marine mammals in danger to alert the local Fisheries Department at 03-888 5019, MareCat at 011-1577 6802 or drop PNW a message at its Facebook page.

Recent marine wildlife sightings

On Monday, PNW also reported sighting a whale shark about six nautical miles off the Kuala Sungai Baru shores, while conducting its patrols.

The filter feeder, which is estimated to weigh about 15 metric tonnes and is non-threatening to humans, reportedly followed the PNW boat.

Earlier this year, divers were caught by surprise at the sightings of a pod of Orcas about 100m off Sipadan Island.

Although generally known as a whale, the Orca belongs to the dolphin family and is its largest member.

Last year, social media was abuzz with sightings of a school of dolphins off Tanjung Bungah seafront in Penang.

While still a rare sight, pods of dolphins have been intermittently spotted in Penang waters over the past years, some just off the Penang bridge. - Mkini