Aussie applauded for 'brilliant' act with dolphin at beach – but there's just one problem

A fast-acting swimmer has been praised for potentially saving the life of a beached dolphin at a popular beach this week. But there is something to consider in this situation.

The animal was spotted in the shallows at Brighton Beach in Adelaide on Tuesday morning, battling to swim itself back out to deeper waters. Witnessing the animal's struggle from the shore, a beachgoer quickly sprang into action, lifting the animal from beneath and gently encouraging it into deeper water where it could swim alone.

Vision shows the man guiding the dolphin out to waters where he also was forced to swim, with members of the public erupting in applause as he returned. The sweet moment took place in just a matter of minutes.

It's believed strong winds and waves that had lashed the area in recent days may have contributed to the the mammal's stranding.

But experts say there's a whole range of reasons why a marine animal might end up beached. And sometimes it's because they have become seriously unwell and sending them back out to sea could doom them.

Possible dark side to stranded dolphin

Experts have urged the Australian public that if they think the dolphin is struggling, they should not interfere and should instead call for help.

The Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA) is a non-profit that works with the NSW Government to help stranded marine mammals.

It told Yahoo News Australia earlier this year that beaching is often a sign there is something wrong with the animal and it needs medical attention. So sending it back into the ocean can create a bigger problem for the animal.

Problems could include illness, plastic or fishing gear ingestion, or even an injury caused by a predator bite or ship strike. And once a dolphin beaches itself once, without proper assistance it will often repeat the behaviour.

"It’s a bit of a tricky one. People want to do the right thing, but it could ultimately result in the demise of the animal," ORRCA’s Sharon Coffee told Yahoo.

"There’s a lot more involved than simply pushing it back in and thinking that you’ve saved it."

When shared on social media, footage of the man's efforts were branded "brilliant" with many labelling him a "champion".

However one person cautioned about the potential danger. "Dolphin may have been sick or injured. They come to shallows to avoid drowning," they commented.

Coffee said when it comes to animals that have beached for a prolonged period they require even more specialised care. However this did not appear to be the case with the dolphin in South Australia.

"When we refloat a dolphin it takes hours. Because when the animal is on the sand, pressure is put on its organs, and the lactic acid builds up in their body," she said.

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"They actually have to be floated in the water for hours or a whole day, until they can get their muscles working again."

Back in July, a group of beachgoers were also branded branded "heroes" after they helped a stranded dolphin at Forresters Beach, 55 km north of Sydney.

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