Rescuers successfully helped a stranded dolphin in Fife back into the Forth on Monday after it was found on the beach at Crombie Point.
Experts from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue worked to rescue the common dolphin after it was reported to them by local Kate Hopper.
Medics from the charity, which helps stranded marine animals across the UK, attended the scene in Fife and found the dolphin was in a “reasonable condition” with only a small wound on its beak.
While they were attending to the adult female and giving first aid, BDMLR received reports of a second stranding.
Despite a quick response, they discovered the second dolphin, a calf, had died.
BDMLR said the adult dolphin may have been searching for its calf when it became stranded.
Pictures of the dolphin were shared by travel blogger Kate Hopper, who reported the animal to BDMLR.
A spokesperson for the charity said: “The decision was made to refloat the adult female dolphin due to her reasonable health, so our medics carefully rolled her onto a tarp and carried her back to the water where they rocked her back and forth to readjust her back into her weightless environment.
Stranded dolphin ‘swims of strongly’
“She swam off strongly, albeit hugging the coast – possibly still searching for her missing calf.”
“Eventually, she swam further out into the Firth and out of sight, but whether she continues to look for her calf and potentially restrands, we’ll have to wait and see,” they added, saying medics would be on hand if a further rescue is required.
It follows an attempted rescue of a Sei whale in Fife last month, which divers from BDMLR also attended.
Rescuers on standby
The whale had originally been refloated but turned up on a beach near Burntisland just 24 hours later.
Believed to be only the second of its kind to strand in Scotland for at least 30 years, a post mortem discovered the animal may have died due to starvation.
