Dolphin calf rescued from fishing net off Isles of Scilly

The rescue charity thought the baby was dead but then cut it free and released it to flee with its mother

Author: Megan PricePublished 16th Oct 2023
Last updated 16th Oct 2023

A dolphin calf caught tangled in a fishing net off the Isles of Scilly has had a lucky escape.

The short beaked dolphin was spotted and picked up by a the Sapphire Palegics 5 and a half miles south west of Bishop Rock on Sunday.

Joseph Pender said: "We were 5.5 Miles SW of Bishop Rock when we spotted a Short Beaked Common Dolphin calf entangled in discarded fishing net ands its mother was nearby.

"We managed to get along side the calf and pull it onboard and cut it free and release it back in the sea to fight another day, a few more hours and it wouldn’t have been a happy ending."

The rescue charity said they thought the baby was dead but then cut it free and released it to flee with its mother.

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