NZ dolphin rescues beached whales

March 12, 2008

Moko is well known locally for playing with swimmers in the bay

Moko the dolphin

A dolphin has come to the rescue of two whales which had become stranded on a beach in New Zealand.

Conservation officer Malcolm told the BBC that he and a group of

other people had tried in vain for an hour and a half to get the whales

to sea.

The pygmy sperm whales had repeatedly beached, and both they and the humans were tired and set to give up, he said.

But then the dolphin appeared, communicated with the whales, and led them to safety.

The bottlenose dolphin, called Moko by local residents, is well

known for playing with swimmers off Mahia beach on the east coast of

the North Island.

Mr said he gave the dolphin a pat to say thank you

Mr said that just when his team was flagging, the dolphin showed up and made straight for them.

"I don't speak whale and I don't speak dolphin," Mr told

the BBC, "but there was obviously something that went on because the

two whales changed their attitude from being quite distressed to

following the dolphin quite willingly and directly along the beach and

straight out to sea."

He added: "The dolphin did what we had failed to do. It was all over in a matter of minutes."

Back at play

Mr said he felt fortunate to have witnessed the

extraordinary event, and was delighted for the whales, as in the past

he has had to put down animals which have become beached.

He said that the whales have not been seen since, but that the

dolphin had returned to its usual practice of playing with swimmers in

the bay.

"I shouldn't do this I know, we are meant to remain

scientific," Mr said, "but I actually went into the water with

the dolphin and gave it a pat afterwards because she really did save

the day."

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