On the 5th June 2024, four common dolphins live stranded on one of our known Live Stranding Hotspots on the Mullet Peninsula for common dolphins.
The Mullet peninsula acts as a natural barrier for common dolphins wanting to head back out to the open sea after feeding in Blacksod Bay. Many of the beaches on the east side of the peninsula have a flat bottom and large tidal range, which can confuse a pelagic dolphin’s navigation as the tide retreats and often leaves them stranded. This live stranding comes as no surprise to this area, which is a navigational trap for the pelagic common dolphin and highlights the need for Mayo IWDG to have their own dolphin rescue trailer which can be packed and ready for any live stranding.
Many thanks to Dave Suddaby BirdWatch Ireland for alerting us to the common dolphins. Soon as we got the call, local volunteers were tasked to go assist the dolphins by cooling them with light wet sheets and keeping the gulls away, while a trailer was borrowed and packed with our rescue stretchers and foam mats.
This is the fifth common dolphin live stranding event on the peninsula in 2024, totalling 10 common dolphins.
Rather than letting the dolphins wait on the beach at Elly for hours until the tide returned, our trained responders carefully lifted the dolphins using stretchers, placed them on padding in a trailer and brought them to Blacksod asap for release.
Huge thanks as always to the wonderful and very responsive IWDG live stranding team, local community and volunteers.
Valentina, Monika Regeciova, Niamh, Susie, Gemma, Tom, John
Ciaran & Mary Coláiste UISCE @Jimmy Gereghty & Kerry McHale
Thanks to the incredible dedication and hard work of our volunteers, we were able to respond swiftly and effectively to the crisis. Their tireless efforts ensure that the stranded dolphins received the care they needed and were safely returned to their natural habitat. These volunteers gave their time, energy, and compassion, demonstrating the true spirit of our community.
However, the reality is that such rescue operations are resource-intensive. To continue our critical work of protecting marine life and responding to future emergencies, we need your support.
Your kind donation will help us:
– Equip and train more volunteers for rapid response.
– Enhance our rescue and monitoring equipment.
– Fund research and education programs to prevent future strandings.
Please consider making a donation today to https://iwdg.ie/donate/