A young bottlenose dolphin entangled in fishing gear is swimming in New Zealand's Waitematā Harbour, prompting a rescue effort by the Department of Conservation.
A young bottlenose dolphin entangled in a fishing net has been spotted swimming around the western end of the Waitematā Harbour, New Zealand. The Department of Conservation is asking for help to find it. The department said it was assembling a specialist marine mammal disentanglement team to free the dolphin, which its staff had seen in the Riverhead Herald Island area.
The entangled juvenile or subadult animal was travelling with a fully grown dolphin, which DOC said would add difficulty to efforts to remove the net from the younger animal. The entangled dolphin was most recently seen on Monday afternoon by the Huapai Golf Course, and it was vital to locate the animal as soon as possible, DOC operations manager Kirsty Prior said. When seen by DOC staff the entangled dolphin had appeared calm, but the net may limit the animal's movement and ability to dive. 'Entangled marine mammals face significant risks, and careful planning is needed to ensure the best outcome,' Prior said. DOC's specialist marine mammal disentanglement team was trained to safely free entangled animals using internationally recognised best practices. 'Entanglements like this happen one to two times a year around New Zealand,' Prior said. 'We have the skills, equipment, and experience to respond, when necessary, but locating the animal is the first crucial step.' While disentanglement procedures were primarily designed for larger marine mammals such as whales, DOC would assess and adapt its approach for the entangled dolphin. DOC teams were equipped with specialist tools and followed strict protocols to ensure safety for both the marine mammal and rescuers. Anyone who saw the entangled dolphin was asked to immediately call 0800 DOC HOT (0800 36 24 68), with information about the location and the dolphin's behaviou
Dolphin Entanglement Rescue Marine Wildlife Conservation
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