From dolphins to a leopard seal: One rescue after another in Wellington – Stuff.co.nz

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A leopard seal was being monitored on Sunday at whiro Bay after the spine of an elephant fish became stuck in the top of its mouth.

It was one stressful event after another for rescuers over the weekend as they rushed to help three stranded dolphins and a leopard seal, which had an elephant fish stuck in its mouth after attempting to have it for breakfast.

On Saturday, three young dusky dolphins were found stranded and an operation was launched by the Department of Conservation (DOC), Project Jonah and Whale Rescue to refloat the dolphins in deeper waters on the other side of Mana Island.

While two dolphins were successfully refloated, Whale Rescue coordinator Linda Robinson said the other dolphin died just before the release, likely from stress.

The dolphin had been buried and blessed by Ngti Toa.

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Two to three volunteers were assigned to a dolphin each on Saturday.

The dolphins had been disoriented and did not know where they were, Robinson said.

Robinson, who helped with the operation on land, said two to three volunteers, all of whom had attended a stranding before, were assigned to a dolphin each.

One of those volunteers was Mandy Coleman, who said the dolphins did not know how to get back to deeper waters and kept trying to swim towards the shallow inlet.

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Two boats transported the dolphins to deeper waters on the other side of Mana Island.

Robinson said it was unusual for dusky dolphins, a type of dolphin often found in deep coastal waters, to have swum towards the shallow waters of the harbour.

We still don't know why they came in.

While it was fairly easy for Robinson to coordinate rescue efforts for the three dolphins, there had been concerns with the boats, which would carry the dolphins to deeper waters, potentially getting stuck due to low tide, she said.

While everyone had wanted all three to survive, she was glad two of them had made it, she said.

If they had received no help, they would have all died in the harbour.

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The leopard seal left whiro Bay on Sunday at 11.30, but Department of Conservation staff were still monitoring the situation.

With two of the dolphins successfully released, Robinson said some volunteers headed from Porirua Harbour to whiro Bay, to tend to a leopard seal.

The leopard seal had washed up on Saturday morning and was being monitored after eating an elephant fish that had got stuck in its mouth, she said.

Crew were keeping an eye on the leopard seal and had been rotating with two-hour blocks.

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A cordon was initially put in place to keep the leopard seal and people safe.

Vets are there along with DOC. The leopard seal is a lot happier than before."

DOC spokeswoman Cassandra Spearin said the leopard seal left the beach around 11.30am on Sunday but staff were still monitoring the situation.

The seal had an elephant fish spine embedded in the top of its mouth and a cordon had initially been put in place around the seal to keep it and people safe, Spearin said.

Staff had been taking photos and sending those to DOC's technical advisors who with Wildlife Vets, she said.

The current advice is to wait and monitor. It's hoped that the spine will dislodge naturally, Spearin said.

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An operation to refloat the Dusky dolphins took place on Saturday as groups from DOC, Project Jonah and Whale Rescue battled against low tide.

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From dolphins to a leopard seal: One rescue after another in Wellington - Stuff.co.nz