VIDEO: A dolphin that researchers named “Lucky” lived up to that moniker over the weekend when firefighters, marine biologists and residents worked together to free her. The 7-foot, 10-inch long female dolphin was discovered stranded in a shallow tidal lagoon inside the Hampton Lake community on Saturday, Bluffton Township Fire District spokesman Stephen Combs said.
Researchers believe she swam into the lagoon through a culvert connecting to the May River during Thursday’s heavy rains and high tides. But as the tide receded, she became trapped in shallow waters that were just 2 to 3 feet deep. A passerby noticed the distressed dolphin and contacted a neighbor familiar with wildlife response. The neighbor alerted the Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network, which is federally authorized to respond to marine mammals in South Carolina. It is otherwise illegal to handle marine mammals without authorization.
LMMN received the call at 12:15 p.m. and deployed a team from Charleston. They called in the Bluffton Township Fire District Rescue 335 for help. The team was able to guide Lucky onto a safety tarp and they carried the dolphin, estimated to weigh between 400 and 500 pounds, nearly 75 yards through shallow water and up a steep embankment. “This was a textbook example of interagency teamwork and calm under pressure,” LMMN Executive Director Lauren Rust said. “From our trained responders to the Bluffton firefighters and helpful community members, everyone played a vital role in ensuring Lucky’s safe return home.”
