Don’t try to save beached dolphins

The RSPCA has issued a warning urging well-meaning members of the public not to try returning beached dolphins to the sea.

The charity says, instead, people should contact the charity’s 24-hour emergency line immediately. The guidance comes after two dolphins were returned to the sea by beach walkers in west Wales in recent weeks.

In two separate incidents this month, dolphins have died following “aid” from the public. In both cases, the dolphins were visibly unwell, thin and emaciated, and should not have been returned to the wild in this way.

Dolphins tend to beach for a reason, often because they have major health complications or even because they are dying. They may need medical treatment. Also, the charity says there may be risks of catching diseases from handling creatures like the dolphins found in Pembrokeshire.

Samantha Herbert