SAN DIEGO (AP) — A dolphin that got entangled in a discarded fishing line has been freed after an hour-long rescue effort off San Diego.
Lifeguards and SeaWorld animal specialists located the dolphin in the waters a mile off La Jolla Friday after a kayaker reported spotting the distressed animal.
They used a pole to gather the 50- to 100-foot line, then snipped it around the dolphin's dorsal fin.
SeaWorld mammal curator Keith Yip told KFMB-TV the cuts on the fins indicated the line had been rubbing against the 4-feet-long dolphin for weeks. He said the dolphin appeared tired and was probably not able to feed.
Once freed, video shot from a news helicopter shows the young mammal swimming to other dolphins that apparently stayed in the area.
©2013 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
