Bullied Dolphin, Wayward in Bolsa Chica, Prompts Huntington Beach Debate

LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – The “bullied dolphin”, wayward in the Bolsa Chica wetlands, is now prompting a Huntington Beach debate among experts. The bullied dolphins was initially wayward in Huntington Beach’s Bolsa Chica wetlands over the weekend. Officials decided to allow the dolphin to return on its own accord back into the harbor. But in one attempt, the dolphin was apparently bullied to flea back into the wetlands. Now experts are debating how to treat the bullied dolphin.
Initially dubbed the “wayward dolphin of Bolsa Chica”, the mammal drew national news coverage this weekend as locals awaited his return into the sea. The adult male dolphin had gotten lost, and headed into the Bolsa Chica wetlands last Thursday. The dolphin was safe in the wetlands. So locals awaited his attempt to reenter the harbor’s waters.
Suddenly, on Saturday officials told news that they were able to get the wayward dolphin to swim back into the harbor. But a successful return turned frantic.
Roughly one hundred yards into the harbor’s waters, the wayward dolphin was “attacked” by what are being dubbed as bully dolphins, a cluster of mammals whose aggressiveness prompted the wayward dolphin back into the Bolsa Chica.
Now the wayward dolphin has been dubbed the “bullied dolphin”. He remains inside the Bolsa Chica. His condition is unchanged. Officials have been able to monitor his heart rate, his eating habits, and more. All conditions are normal.
Officials, however, warn news and local residents not to get in the way of the dolphin and force his entry back into the harbor. They tell news that the dolphin has chosen to retreat to the Bolsa Chica. For now, the only treatment, some officials claim, is to let the bullied dolphin prepare himself, and his ego, for his second attempt back into the harbor.
Peter Wallerstein, director of El Segundo-based Marine Animal Rescue, says of the dolphin “He was scared, he was intimidated, he was bullied.” He adds “There could be tension among the dolphin pod and dolphins can be very aggressive, even among themselves.”













