Stretchered off: Community rallies to save pod of stranded dolphins 

Members of the community came together to save the lives of 10 stranded solphins on Friday 

A team of volunteers in Mayo made a flipping good rescue on Friday, saving 10 dolphins in a live stranding event.

Thirteen dolphins, mainly mothers and calves and a big male had live stranded on Tarmon beach in Blacksod.

Mayo Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) members led the rescue mission, with assistance from other local community members, visitors and gardaí.

Mayo Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) members led the rescue mission, with assistance from other local community members, visitors and gardaí.

In a Facebook post, the group explained that, sadly, three dolphins had passed away before they arrived but once on the beach they launched a rescue effort for the remainder of the pod.

“With the tide still dropping for another 1.5 hours, the sun shining and the dolphins now responding to been cooled it was decided to move the pod by road to the slip at Blacksod 2kms away where the pod could continue to receive care in deeper water,” they said.

Using their own wheeled dolphin stretcher, the group ferried the larger dolphins across the beach to an awaiting horse-box while the juveniles were moved via large beach towels in tandem with their mothers.

“All mother and calf pairs were lined up semi-submerged on banks of seaweed on the shoreline beside Blacksod slip and continued to receive care until the rest of the pod arrived by road."

After the dolphins had spent some time being supported in the water, one made a “dash for freedom” and the rest quickly followed.

“All swam upright unassisted into deeper water quickly and none rolled or bellied up, which can often happen to dolphins who have live stranded,” the IWDG shared.

Mother and calf pairs were lined up semi-submerged on banks of seaweed on the shoreline beside Blacksod slip

By 9pm, the group had left the area and couldn’t be located.

Tarmon and the surrounding beaches on the east side of the mullet peninsula are notorious for common dolphins live stranding due to the topography of the beaches, Mayo IWDG said.

“The beaches are large flat expanses so during spring tides especially, the water can level can drop uniformly and recede up to 1km in parts.

“Common dolphins being an offshore dolphin species often get caught out on such difficult to navigate shallow terrain.” 

When a dolphin live strands it puts immense pressure on their bodies, they can become very disorientated and have muscle spasm from the stranding event making it difficult to swim. This is why the group was given “recovery time “at Blacksod before being released.

Mayo Irish Whale and Dolphin Group thanked the public for their assistance 

Sharing photos from the rescue mission, the group extended its thanks to the local community, visitors and gardaí for getting involved.

“It was so humbling to see everyone work together to get this pod back to the sea,” they said, adding that if anyone would like to become involved with the IWDG stranding network they can drop them a message.