Volunteer rescuers save baby porpoise trapped on B.C. beach
A dramatic rescue unfolded on the coast of Vancouver Island on Sunday evening.
A young harbour porpoise was trapped on the shore along a popular resort area near Nanoose, B.C.
Nathalie Marie was the first person to spot the marine mammal, which could easily be mistaken for a dolphin.
"It had lacerations on the body, but nothing bleeding," she told CTV News. "We believe it's caused by the rocks because it was shallow water."
Uncertain of who to call for help, Marie took to social media.
"Because on a Sunday who do you call?" she said laughing. "So [community members] were able to make other phone calls, and the DFO was right on it as well."
Several people answered Marie's call for help, including the DFO (Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada) and someone with marine mammal experience.
Guided by a representative of the DFO on the phone, a group assembled by the harbor porpoise and were advised on how to return it to the ocean.
Rescuers put a towel under the porpoise for about half an hour and removed a fishing line that was tied around its nose before they tried to move it back into the ocean.
More than a dozen community members volunteered to help the stranded harbour porpoise. (Submitted)
"When I first touched it and brought it into deeper water it had like this burst of energy and it just went – but it came right back to the shore," said Marie.
DFO marine mammal coordinator Paul Cottrell says the porpoise small porpoise was likely a newborn.
"Definitely under a couple of weeks of age," he said.
"Harbour porpoise are really common and this time of year there are a lot of harbour porpoise calves, and we do get a pulse of deaths this time of year," he said.
Eventually, the group was able to take the porpoise to deeper waters by putting it on a paddle board.
It's not known how the porpoise fared after the rescue, but Marie says she was thrilled by the community's efforts.
"It was magnificent. it was just this community getting together," she said.
"It gives hope, it gives like joy-de-vivre. It shows together that we can pull great things together," she said.
The DFO says the group did the right thing by reaching out to the Marine Mammal Hotline before trying any action, something it says should be done every time people come across marine animals in distress.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.