Dolphin rescued in Galveston Bay

GALVESTON, Texas, March 8 (UPI) -- A bottlenose dolphin, stranded in shallow water in Texas' Galveston Bay, was successfully captured and released, authorities said.

Three fishermen noticed the 8-foot long dolphin swim toward shore near a bird sanctuary late Tuesday, but because it was trapped in shallow water it, was unable to swim out, the Galveston, Texas, Daily News reported.

The men, investigating to see if it was a shark or a dolphin, contacted the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network, a non-profit volunteer organization, which arrived and immediately moved the dolphin by loading it onto a stretcher and then a flotation mat, then to a pier where a truck was waiting.

The dolphin was loaded into the truck, and because of low tides in the areas, was transported a short distance to an appropriate release point in the Gulf of Mexico.

After a moment to acclimate itself, the dolphin swam away, the newspaper reported.