Dolphin Seeks Help from a Diver in Hawaii!

In a magical and unforgettable few minutes of filming, shown on the UK news channels and - I am sure - all over the world communication between man and a wild creature was brought into our living rooms.

A Bottle-Nosed Dolphin in seas off Hawaii had its fin entangled in wire, or tough fishing line, to the extent that the mammal was crippled and obviously in pain. It swam slowly up to a diver and rolled over so he saw what the problem was then waited swimming in place, while he cut the wire away with what looked like some sort of combination knife/pliers (the web will have more details I am sure). The large, 7-foot, dolphin helped by keeping the fin area within the divers reach. It appeared the helper’s hands were shaking as he completed this difficult rescue, as the wire seemed to be embedded to an extent in the fin.

After perhaps 3 or 5 minutes, he seemed to have all or most of the impediment removed and the dolphin swam slowly away.

What incredible trust the dolphin displayed and such intelligence to reason that man was the only solution to its woes and could perhaps remove the tearing wire!

I was absolutely transfixed by this moment on film. I desperately want to believe it was real and not some staged act for the voracious beast that is network news. It does seem strange that a photographer, a German woman, was right there and able to get all this on film in such a clear manner.

We (me) seem to have lost the ability to trust - to take anything at face value any more. So much we see in newspapers and on the screen is lies and misinformation; every word designed to better the bottom line of money and power for special interests.

What a world it would be if the lion did, indeed, lie down with the lamb and humans were able to communicate with the other creatures. Especially the ’higher’ creatures like whales, dolphins and the great apes. Wild animals have been born fearing mankind ever since the first Homo sapiens picked up a rock or sharpened a stick to kill for the pot. In the main, they do not retaliate except from fear, and few see us as prey - perhaps the crocodiles are one exception, but even that is doubtful…bacteria and viruses, of course, are a given.

That whales even allow us into the same bays with them is a miracle after the years of horrific slaughter. Dolphins, too, might associate us with the thousands they loose every year to “catch-all” fishing nets, although man rarely hurts or kills them in high numbers except by accident.

We mustn’t forget the bravery shown by the diver in the clip (his hands were really shaking), dolphins are savage predators to the fish they prey on and have a lot of very sharp teeth. But although the removal of the cruel wire must have caused the creatures pain, much less than exhibit aggression, it did no even wince as the diver pushed and pulled, levering the wire apart from the mammal’s flesh in order to get his small cutter around the material and cut it away.

I won’t be able to publish photos of the protagonists in the incident as they will be hotly copyrighted and will no doubt make a lot of money to the photographer. But I am sure it will be on videos by now for you to see and marvel as I did.

Please don’t let this magical moment be a fake.