All dolphins saved after third mass stranding in three weeks at Clare harbour

Eight dolphins were successfully refloated at Ballyvaughan as trained volunteers responded swiftly to a third stranding at the site

A rescuer helping to refloat one of the dolphins. Picture: Trea Heapes/IWDG

Another mass dolphin stranding has taken place in Clare, the third in the same location in three weeks, according to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG).

About eight dolphins were spotted circling, which they do when hunting in groups, during a falling tide near a beach in Ballyvaughan on January 4.

The area near the small harbour village in north Clare, on the south shores of Galway Bay, is where 28 dolphins stranded en masse just before Christmas.

All dolphins spotted stranded near the same spot this time were saved, thanks again to responders and officers from the IWDG and a member of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).

Local kayakers were also on standby to assist with herding the dolphins out once they refloated

IWDG Clare’s Trea Heapes, one of the responders, wrote: “Having assisted with a previous mass live stranding at the same location before Christmas, we were familiar with the terrain and felt well prepared to respond.”

An IWDG stranding network volunteer — known as Melissa — was already on site monitoring the situation, identifying the locations of the dolphins and assessing their condition from a safe distance, by the time others arrived to help.

“Thankfully, all the dolphins were upright and appeared calm,” Ms Heapes said. “With sufficient water for refloating not expected until after 2pm, the priority was to keep the animals comfortable while ensuring volunteer safety.”

Local kayakers were also on standby to assist with herding the dolphins out once they refloated. The dolphins were spread across three areas of the harbour.

Responders helped by keeping gulls away, and by cooling the animals with water until they could be refloated.

“The tide came in quickly, and the dolphins began to move, occasionally becoming trapped between rocks or tangled in seaweed,” Ms Heapes said.

It was a coordinated effort to keep them pointed out toward the channel, keeping calves alongside adults, and gently freeing pectoral fins when needed.

“As water levels continued to rise, the dolphins began to float.

Members of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group after the successful mission.

“One calf repeatedly attempted to swim backward, and volunteers worked carefully to keep the group oriented in the correct direction whenever they tried to turn back toward shore.”

Once conditions allowed, three kayakers floating in very shallow water nearby helped herding the dolphins towards deeper waters.

“A particularly poignant moment came when [a] calf paused to suckle as it left the channel, the mother rolling slightly onto her side to allow her hungry calf to feed before continuing on to sea,” Ms Heapes added.

She said members of the public who spot stranded dolphins should call the IWDG Emergency Stranding Hotline on 097 28118.

Also, if trying to assist, they should never drag the animal, especially by its tail.