A young dolphin calf was found wrapped in a fishing line from head to tail.
Drone footage showed the moment rescue teams removed the braided line, which had wrapped around the dolphin’s body, restricting its ability to swim, as reported by Need To Know.
The calf was first spotted in mid-June near Mackenzies Bay, a small spot on the coast between Bondi Beach and Tamarama Beach in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
The sighting prompted a coordinated rescue by the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Sea World Foundation, ORRCA, and Marine Rescue.
It was eventually found near Batemans Bay, a little way down the coast.
Wayne Phillips, Head of Marine Sciences at Sea World Foundation, said: “It was vital we intervened – the calf was severely restricted – but we were able to remove the line and watch it swim away strongly with its mum.”
Leigh Nolan of NPWS said: “It was a tricky operation as the mother was very protective, but the teamwork between agencies made the rescue a success.”
ORRCA President Ashley Ryan said the group had been monitoring the dolphin for weeks and called the outcome “a huge relief”.
The rescue took place on 1 August.
The species – a bottlenose dolphin – can grow up to 4 metres (13ft) long and weigh about 650kg (1,430lb).
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