Over the weekend, Haulover Beach became the unexpected site of a rescue when a baby dolphin, injured and struggling, was saved by lifeguards and fire rescue crews. NBC6 South Florida News reported that the dolphin had become beached on the rock jetty at the beach and was unable to swim, with indications suggesting the animal might have been hit by a boat.
The situation unfolded yesterday near midday when the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department responded to the beached mammal, their Ocean Rescue lifeguards were quick to engage developed a quick response after receiving reports of a beached dolphin, according to the department's spokesperson, Erika Benitez, "Our lifeguard got hold of the dolphin [and] removed it from the rocks," Benitez said, a statement obtained by The Miami Herald.
The dolphin was fortunate to have been spotted and attended to without delay; it was delicately removed from the precarious rocks and subsequently transferred to the care of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). The focus now turns to the rehabilitation of the young dolphin, with hopes high for a full recovery that would allow for a return to the wild.
While the FWC has taken over the care of the dolphin the community breathes a cautious sigh of relief in the wake of this instance that calls attention to the vulnerability of marine life sharing coastal waters with human activity. As the animal receives treatment, its journey back to health is monitored with both concern and hope.
