Marine life rescue unable to save dolphin stranded on Pagham beach 'despite best efforts'

Marine life rescue volunteers, alongside members of the public, had been with the dolphin for several hours when the coastguard was called, a spokesperson said.

They needed help returning the dolphin to the sea, and a coastguard team was on standby to assist. They also helped provide safety cover, and keep members of the public at a safe distance from the stranded animal.

"Sadly, despite everyone’s best efforts and attempts to get the dolphin to swim back out sea, the vet had to make the decision to put the dolphin to sleep,” a coastguard spokesperson announced on Facebook yesterday (April 02).

They added: “For any stranded marine animals (alive or deceased) on the coast of the UK call 999 for the Coastguard. Our operations rooms will task Coastguard Rescue Officers to assist as well as requesting assistance from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, and other agencies if needed.”

The Coastguard makes clear that dolphins and similar animals wash up on shores all over the UK between 20 and 50 times a year and that returning dolphins, whales and porpoises to the sea isn’t always as simple as many people imagine, since the animals are often frightened or stressed, and can weigh several tonnes or more.

Members of the public should avoid trying to help the animals themselves, they said, and should instead report discoveries of stranded animals – living or dead – to the Coastguard on 999 and the BDMLR on 01825 765546.

When it comes to deciding whether or not put a certain animal down, vets with the BDMLR consider a variety of factors, including its health, the likelihood of its survival, how long it has been out of the water and the plausibility of a successful rescue given its size.

Writing on the Coastguard website, a spokesperson explained: “If rescue is impossible and it’s kinder to the animal, sometimes they will be euthanised using an injection or firearm either by a vet, the RSPCA or a qualified marksman. But the bigger they are, the harder it is to carry this out humanely. In that case, it is kinder to keep them comfortable until they die naturally.”

In cases where animals like this die onshore, it is the landowner’s responsibility to ensure the body is properly disposed, in this case Arun District Council.