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A bottlenose dolphin was spotted stranded in a shallow creek Saturday.
(Photo courtesy of Marine Mammal Stranding Center)
A stranded dolphin was saved from a shallow creek in South Jersey over the weekend, while the rescue of a second sick dolphin stuck at an Ocean County beach proved to be unsuccessful.
It took rescuers two tries Sunday to net a male bottlenose dolphin in the muddy, shallow creek near Hand Avenue in Middle Township, which is located several miles from the bay, said Bob Schoelkopf, the founding director of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center.
The adult dolphin was finally freed in the Delaware Bay at around 6 p.m. at Cook Beach after a day-long operation, Schoelkopf said.
The dolphin was first spotted by someone running near the creek Saturday afternoon. Volunteers at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center were assisted by the local fire department.
The non-profit, based in Brigantine, was also called to Lavallette on Friday by lifeguards, who spotted a dolphin that appeared to be tangled just off the coast in rough surf, Schoelkopf said.
The rescue was ultimately unsuccessful.
Schoelkopf said the common dolphin was so emaciated it could barely swim, and eventually died on the beach.
The group expects a necropsy report over the next few days.
Craig McCarthy may be reached at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig. Find NJ.com on Facebook.