The Ogliastra coast was the scene of a touching story that combines the fragility of nature with human solidarity. The episode began along the shore of Bucca ‘e Strumpu beach, in the municipal area of Bari Sardo, where since the previous evening several tourists and residents had noticed an imposing female dolphin, estimated to weigh more than 200 kilos, swimming close to the cliffs in a clear state of suffering.
The situation worsened on the morning of August 19, when the cetacean appeared semi-stranded on the very shallow draft seabed. Understanding the extreme gravity of the situation, some swimmers present on the shoreline dived in without hesitation, even using a rope to free the animal’s body and gently push it towards deeper, more open water.
The birth of the little one and the adoption by the pack
This timely human intervention proved instrumental in allowing the marine mammal to complete the final stages of childbirth. A few meters from the shoreline, the female managed to give birth to her cub. The joy of the birth was immediately intertwined with the natural solidarity of the species: a group of other cetaceans belonging to the same pod immediately approached the newborn, taking him into custody and escorting him towards the open sea to protect him. However, the enormous effort made to complete the gestation and free herself from the shallows consumed the mother’s last energies. Exhausted and with no strength left, the cetacean settled on the seabed, breathing its last breath, under the moved gazes of the witnesses who had followed its troubled manoeuvres.
The intervention of the authorities and the emotion of those present
Once the death was confirmed, the tourists themselves brought the mother’s body back to shore to prevent it from being dragged by the currents. Shortly afterwards, the agents of the Tortolì Forestry Corps, the personnel of the local police of Bari Sardo and the municipal operators arrived on site, arriving to manage the recovery operations of the carcass.
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During the afternoon, using a wheeled vehicle with a bucket, the body of the cetacean was removed from the beach amidst the silence and strong emotion of those present. The event leaves behind a profound testimony of survival: while the mother passed away on the Sardinian shore, her little one continues to swim offshore entrusted to the protection of its peers.
