Dolphin Stuck in Low Tide Rescued Off New York Coast
All in a day's work. Crews came together to assist with a harrowing rescue Tuesday evening just off the coast of the state. But it wasn't a person who needed help this occasion. As a matter of fact, Nassau County police are saying that it was actually a dolphin, who had been stranded in the mud, that needed their assistance. It wasn't easy either. The efforts to free the dolphin even lead to two police officers being sent to the hospital to be treated with minor injuries, according to officials.
NBC NY is reporting that the animal was seen in Manhasset Bay, and had been stranded in the low tide. Police and the Marine Bureau were able to get the dolphin into a kayak, and then were able to bring it out into open water to be set loose. Officials say the animal will be closely monitored to make sure it doesn't get stuck again in shallow water.
Strandings offshore are not that uncommon. The International Fund for Animal Welfare says that this time of year can be busy for rescues like this one. In July 2019, a dolphin had to be rescued off the rocky shoreline of the Hudson River near Jersey City. Just a week ago, three dolphins were spotted in the East River, near Brooklyn, drawing quite the crowd both in person and to social media. Common dolphins migrate up and down the Gulf stream from the Carolinas to Newfoundland. They can be found traveling in pods sometimes numbering in the hundreds to thousands.