A dolphin found washing up on a beach of a coastal province in south-central Vietnam has received first-aid and is in care at a wildlife rehabilitation center.

Nguyen Trong Chanh, director of the local veterinary department, provided the information on Tuesday.

At about 4:30 am on the day, fishermen in Ninh Ich Commune, Ninh Hoa Town, Khanh Hoa Province spotted a dolphin lying on a shore in the Nha Phu Lagoon, a tourist attraction of the region.

Many injuries were seen on the body of the mammal, 1.2 meters long and weighing over 70 kilograms, according to Nguyen Cong Toan, chairman of the Ninh Ich People’s Committee.

Government officials arriving at the scene persuaded local residents to work with experts in an effort to save the animal’s life, he said.

The explanation is necessary since the villagers believe that a washed-up dolphin should be put on a mat; when it dies, a ceremony is performed, and it is worshipped.

On receiving a report of the sighting, the Khanh Hoa veterinary department and foreign experts from the Institute of Oceanography in Nha Trang, located in the province, came to the dolphin’s rescue.

The mammal was then moved to the provincial center for wildlife rehabilitation for continued care.

An injury of the dolphin. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!