'A sad ending for such a wonderful creature' say emergency services after dolphin couldn't be saved
A six-ft dolphin has died despite attempts to save it – including air being blown through its blowhole - near Weston-super-Mare.
Last updated 4th Jan 2021
A spokesperson for the Burnham’s BARB Search & Rescue service, which helped at the incident yesterday on Sand Bay, said: “The six foot common dolphin had washed up on the high tide and was stranded several hundred metres from the top of the beach.
“Coastguards from Weston attended the scene along with BARB's fully trained marine mammal medics and British Divers Marine Life Rescue, who specialise in marine strandings.
“The team walked out across the mudflats to reach the stranded dolphin where they assessed its condition.
““It had initially been showing signs of life, with air being blown through its blowhole, but sadly it was declared deceased during the incident.
"A sad ending for such a wonderful creature."
The body, estimated to be around 200kg, was taken off the beach for formal logging and further investigation to assess the cause of the death.