Pacific Spirit Marine Institute

Moko The Dolphin Saves Stranded Whales. Dolphins speak Whale?

Sunday, March 16, 2008

A mother pygmy sperm whale and her calf became confused on Monday and repeatedly became stranded on Mahia beach.

Just when Malcolm Smith, a New Zealand Conservation Department officer was thinking all would be lost, he received help for a familiar Mahia beach local. That local’s name is Moko, a female bottlenose dolphin.

Smith said he as he became cold, wet and tired Moko came to the rescue of the two whales. She seemed to communicate something to them and then guided the whales to safety.

Smith thinks Moko’s intervention with the whales did make the difference between life and death for them. Smith had tried to push the pair back out to sea, but they were having nothing to do with that action.

Moko is best known for playing with local swimmers and pushing kayaks through the water with her snout.

Smith said the dolphin made contact with the whales and “basically escorted them about 200 yards parallel with the beach to the edge of the sandbar. Then she did a right-angle turn through quite a narrow channel and escorted them out to sea.”

The two haven’t been seen since Monday but, Moko is back to her playful antics.

Watch this video of Moko the hero.

Labels: Dolphin, New Zealand, Whales, stranded

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Moko The Dolphin Saves Stranded Whales. Dolphins speak Whale?