Johor Fisheries Department Rescues Injured Bottlenose Dolphin Found Stranded At Mersing Beach

The Johor Fisheries Department successfully rescued and released a common bottlenose dolphin which was found stranded at Air Papan Beach in Mersing, Johor yesterday (31 December 2022). The department’s director, Zainuddin Abd Wahab asserted that the dolphin was still alive when found but had injuries on its tail.

As reported by Bernama, Zainuddin further elaborated that the injuries were not serious and may be caused by the mammal smashing into rocks or corals due to the rough seas. Moreover, since the injuries were not serious, the department released the dolphin back into the water per the standard operating procedures.

In a statement yesterday, Zainuddin urged all quarters to report incidents of beached endangered species as well as turtles to the department. He added,

“The Johor Fisheries Department is always committed to managing fisheries resources, carrying out law enforcement and is determined to protect fisheries resources in Johor waters,”

The stranded dolphin was first spotted by an officer of the Mersing Civil Defence Force (APM) who was manning the beach rescue tower and placing warning flags on the beach. Mersing APM officer Captain Nurnajibah in a statement revealed that the officer tried to release the stranded sea creature which weighed between 30 to 35kg back into the sea but was unsuccessful due to high tides and strong waves.

APM then contacted the Fisheries Office for further action and the department safely released the dolphin in Teluk Buih. Kudos to the quick action of both APM and the Johor Fisheries Department!

What do you guys think of the rescue operation? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

Also read: Russia is Using Trained Military Dolphins to Protect Their Naval Fleet From Underwater Attacks