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Ocean Cleaning Crew Rescues and Frees a Dolphin Entangled in Ghost Nets

By Regina Sienra on August 22, 2023

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Ocean cleanup crews provide vital labor by removing plastics and other garbage from the sea. While it may sound like an endless task, their devotion to their duty is something they should absolutely be proud of. And sometimes, cleaning up plastic pollution can be a life-saving act for marine life. Recently, a crew known as 4Ocean on an ocean cleaning mission were able to save the life of a dolphin.

In a now-viral video, the crew is seen removing trash off the coast of Bali when they spot a dolphin in distress. The animal had become ensnared in ghost nets, which are discarded fishing nets that are hard to spot by sea creatures. The poor dolphin was not only stuck, but its tail and mouth had become tangled by several yards of fishing line, tugging at its skin.

The cleanup crew knew they had to act quickly and precisely to free the dolphin. Rescued from the entanglement on the ocean surface, they quickly brought the poor creature onboard. Taking care to not hurt him any further, the team poured water on its skin and cut the net around its mouth and tail with scissors. Once freed, the team returned the dolphin to the ocean, and watched it swim away. To them, this was the dolphin's way of thanking them for giving it a second chance at life.

While this time they were fortunate to help the dolphin, it's the very same trash they work hard to remove that trapped it. As such, their labor proves to be priceless in keeping not only our oceans clean, but also safe for all creatures who call it home.

If you’d like to support 4Ocean’s mission, you can visit their webstore and check out their plastic offset programs while you’re there.