another find washed up at baiter. A sad one this time :-(

[Graham Nash]

while walking my hounds along the beach at Baiter this evening I came across a dead dolphin  .... The Coastguards were already on the scene donning their dry suits etc. It took 2 of them to pull it up the beach and it was about 5 - 6ft long. A magnificent creature but such a shame

[Guest]

It would seem that this dolphin had been "saved" earlier in the day. The rescuer did exactly as I would have done and returned the dolphin to deeper water. It would seem that this IS NOT the preferred course of action.

A response from a dolphin/porpoise/whale charity was posted on the Bournemouth Echo website as follows.

Did you know we have a charity in the UK set up to deal with stranded whales & dolphins? 

If you find a live whale, dolphin or porpoise

A whale, dolphin or porpoise stranded on the beach is obviously not a usual phenomenon. These animals do not beach themselves under normal circumstances, and they will require assistance so please call the number below if you find a live stranded cetacean.

BDMLR hotline: 01825 765546 (office hours) or 07787 433412 (out of hours)

You will receive further advice over the phone, but important things you can do to help are:

* Provide essential first aid.
* Support the animal in an upright position and dig trenches under the pectoral fins.
* Cover the animal with wet sheets or towels (even seaweed) and keep it moist by spraying or dousing with water.
* Do NOT cover, or let any water pass down the blowhole (nostril), sited on top of the animal's head. This will cause the animal great distress and could even kill it.
* Under no circumstances, release the animal into the sea before the rescue team has arrived. It is fine to support a smaller dolphin or porpoise in the water, as long as the blowhole is kept above the water at all times, and as long as it is carried to the water carefully, e.g. in a tarpaulin (do NOT drag it or lift it by its fins or tail). However, actually releasing the animal before it has received an assessment and first aid from experienced personnel can do more harm than good.
* Take great care when handling a dolphin, porpoise or whale; keep away from the tail, as it can inflict serious injuries - this is particularly the case with whales and it is advisable to leave handling larger whales until experienced help has arrived. Avoid the animal’s breath, as it may carry some potentially nasty bacteria.
* Provide information: Give the hotline an exact location for the animal - this can save valuable and perhaps critical time. If you have a mobile, give the number to the hotline
* Give an accurate description of the animal, including its breathing rate, and whether it is in the surf, on rocks or sand, in the shade or in the full glare of the sun