Baby dolphin rescued in Qawra

Nature Trust (Malta) helped rescue a three-month-old striped dolphin in Qawra, following reports made to them.

“Upon arrival, the dolphin was found to be in a lost and disorientated state, probably after being separated from its mother,” a Nature Trust statement said. “The tough seas complicated matters for the dolphin as it sustained cuts following waves that kept pushing it against the rocks.”

With the help of the Animal Welfare department and the police, the dolphin was brough ashore and passed on to the Nature Trust (Malta) Wildlife Rescue Team, MEPA as the competent authority for protected species, and Anthony Gruppetta as an expert vet for examination.

“The dolphin is now in an inshore tank for further monitoring and under the full care of Dr. Gruppetta,” Nature Trust said. 

According to media reports, it however took around two hours before a MEPA team decided what to do with the baby dolphin. Protected animals fall under the responsibility of MEPA and the animal rescue had to keep the dolphin in a basin until the Environment Authority decided what to do with it.

In a reaction, the authority insisted that its officials were on site within 15 minutes from receiving the report "and took immediate measures to secure the animal from further damage, until the veterinarian from the Veterinary Services Department could ascertain the state of the animal".

At around noon the Veterinarian examined the dolphin and decided to transport it to an inshore tank.

Pictures of the dolphin are expected to be released soon.