Large-Scale Rescue Operation Saves 17 Dolphins on Île de Ré
A successful rescue operation on Tuesday saved 17 dolphins that had stranded on a beach on the Île de Ré in Charente-Maritime. Local residents alerted the firefighters after spotting the cetaceans trapped in oyster beds as the tide receded. The firefighters quickly contacted the Pélagis observatory, which coordinates the national stranding network based in La Rochelle.
In a remarkable display of teamwork, 34 individuals, including 19 firefighters, three ecoguards, six municipal staff from La Couarde, and six members of Pélagis, mobilized to save the dolphins. The firefighters dug out mud to keep the dolphins submerged in water, preventing them from overheating. Thanks to favorable conditions, including a high tidal coefficient of 90 and a north wind that pushed waves towards the shore, the dolphins were able to return to the open sea by early afternoon. Unfortunately, one dolphin did not survive the ordeal.
Increasing Frequency of Dolphin Strandings
The Pélagis observatory has been raising concerns about the increasing number of dolphin strandings along the Atlantic coast, particularly in winter. The number of strandings jumped from 646 in 2016 to nearly 1,400 during the winter of 2022-2023. While accidental fishing catches are a significant contributor to these incidents, Paula Mendez Fernandez, a marine ecology expert at Pélagis, notes that winter strandings are not typical for this time of year.
"These strandings are becoming more frequent," she said, referencing similar incidents in La Rochelle last week and at nearby Châtelaillon-Plage two weeks prior. The reasons behind these strandings remain unclear. Mendez Fernandez speculates whether the dolphins became trapped while hunting or if they were disoriented. She also mentioned that the group included females and two young dolphins, raising questions about their familial connections.
