Wildlife outwith Moray: Overnight battle on Sutherland beach to save stranded dolphins
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Locals and tourists successfully battled throughout the night to save a pod of four dolphins that became stranded on a Sutherland beach.
The cetaceans were spotted in trouble at Balnakeil at Durness – the most north westerly village on the UK mainland – at around 9.30pm on Monday.
They came ashore about an hour later.
A group of about ten locals, tourists and coastguards then battled to save the pod, waiting for the rising tide to refloat them at 3.30am today.
The rescuers also took advice from British Divers Marine Life Rescue by telephone.
Durness local Julien Moreau stated it had been a long night.
He said: "People did all they could to keep the dolphins alive.
"They were very large. It was quite an effort.
"We had to wait for the tide to rise and then refloat them.
"They all swam away and have not been seen since.
"We hope it stays that way."
Related article: Dolphin encounter of a Moray Firth lifetime!
