Stranded dolphins refuse efforts to free them: ‘They definitely were annoyed’

“At this point we’re basically using all the tools in our toolbox that we can think of. Whether it’s herding, or trying to scare them out, trying to attract them out,” said Wimmer.

On Thursday, as more than a dozen people watched from shore, officials from the marine society as well as the Department of Fisheries and Oceans deployed an acoustic pinger in a bid to push the dolphins along.

“We could definitely tell that we were disturbing them, which is part of the process,” said Andrew Reid of the society. “They were evading us. Swimming quite rapidly, swimming under the boat. So they definitely were being annoyed.”

The rescuers said the biggest obstacle is the strong current, which gets stronger as the tide goes out. The boats have to be careful not to smash into a bridge, or hit the animals.

Wimmer said the animals look in “fairly good health,” and they have some fish and layers of blubber to draw on. But rescuers don’t think the dolphins will leave on their own, because of the nature of the waterway.

“We just mostly want to make sure that, as long as they’re not being disturbed too much, and they stay healthy, we can keep an eye on them. But they’re hitting a bit of a level where people are very concerned and there’s interest to want to do something, so we at least have to see what we can do,” she said.

Reid said the dolphins are very social, and may have ended up in the shallows because one of them — possibly their leader — was sick. Or perhaps they were simply chasing food, he said.

“They’re probably fine for a while. The white-sided dolphins are actually a more northern species, so they’re use to being in fairly cold water. Obviously if there was ice and it was below freezing there would be more concern,” Wimmer said.

Atlantic white-sided dolphins are common in Atlantic Canada.

They can reach 10 feet in length and 500 pounds.

By Adam Hodnett, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Stranded dolphins refuse efforts to free them: ‘They definitely were annoyed’

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