Heartbreak as one dolphin dead, three others trapped on land after swimming up California inlet

A pod of dolphins lost their way and became trapped in a California inlet near Morro Bay, where one died in the mud before rescuers could reach it.

The death of the dead dolphin, discovered near Cuesta Inlet, was confirmed by the Marine Mammal Center on Wednesday. Three others were able to be rescued.

The MMC and California Department of Fish and Wildlife responded to the area following several calls the common dolphins had become stranded outside of the bay. 

Officials said the dolphins arrival brought a lot of excitement from spectators, but by the end of the day the tide had receded. The animals did not make their way back out to the ocean on Tuesday and got stuck in the mud.

“Because these were wild, native animals exhibiting normal behaviors prior to the strandings, the best-case scenario was for the dolphins to make their way out of the inlet on their own,” a statement from the MMC to The California Post read.

“Unfortunately, as tidal conditions worsened Tuesday afternoon, four dolphins at Cuesta Inlet became stuck in the mudflats and were unable to navigate back to deeper water.”

“On Wednesday morning, September 30, Center experts safely responded to three of the four dolphins at Cuesta Inlet and successfully released all three outside of the bay, with assistance from Harbor Patrol,” it added.

A fifth dolphin, initially seen in the Shark Inlet close by, was not found during rescue efforts. They said they will continue to monitor the area.

Officials said it is unclear why the dolphins had traveled off course, saying the unusual ocean conditions we have been experiencing with the coming El Nino could’ve played a part.

“Past marine heat waves, such as the ‘Blob,’ have contributed to warmer waters, which can influence where dolphins live and the prey available to them,” Giancarlo Rulli, with the MMC told KSBY.

“Warmer waters can also shift the distribution of fish and other prey, potentially requiring dolphins to adapt their feeding behavior and seek new food sources,” he said.

The one animal that didn’t make it will undergo necropsy, officials said.

“Seeing an animal in distress is emotionally difficult, and our team feels that too. This has been a heroic effort by many partners, including Harbor Patrol and the community, to give these animals a second chance,” said Sarah Pattison, Director of Hospital Operations at The Marine Mammal Center.

“We’re grateful that three of these dolphins were able to be safely returned to the ocean, and we continue to monitor the situation closely.”