Bayworld marine biologist and SA Marine Stranding Network regional head Dr Greg Hofmeyr was just about to leave on Thursday for further sampling work at the Woody Cape site where 15 common dolphins stranded on Monday, when he was alerted to the situation at Kings Beach.
“A member of the public called in and as soon as we heard I rushed down there, and at about 6.30am found an adult female common dolphin near the harbour wall,” he said.
“She was highly distressed but was alive and seemed strong.”
Hofmeyr said the caller had done the right thing by not trying to refloat the animal and instead calling the stranding hotline, allowing for the earliest possible response and assessment by a trained team.
Hofmeyr was joined by two other Bayworld-based members of the stranding network, who were able to slowly calm the animal down, facing her away from the sea in an upright position to orientate her, and digging grooves in the sand for her pectoral fins.

“We draped wet towels across her back to cool her down, covered her eyes with another towel, and made sure noise levels around her were down and people weren’t running around,” Hofmeyr said.
“She [the dolphin] was initially moving around wildly, signalling high stress levels, but once we had put those measures in place she lay calmly.
“Just trying to refloat an animal through the surf can result in it being tumbled around, aspirating water and repeatedly stranding. We have to make an assessment first.”
Veterinarian Dr Lucy Runnels from the Mount Croix Animal Hospital arrived and confirmed Hofmeyr’s assessment that the dolphin was strong enough to refloat.
He then called the environmental affairs department.
“They agreed we could go ahead and contact was made with the National Sea Rescue Institute, a key partner of the stranding network, to see if they could help,” Hofmeyr said.
The dolphin was lifted in a special stretcher onto a bakkie, driven to the NSRI headquarters in the harbour and transferred to a waiting vessel.
It was successfully released about 4km off Cape Recife, using an onboard crane.
Hofmeyr said it was not clear if there was a connection between the Kings Beach and Woody Cape events.
The stranding network contact number is 071-724-2122...