Central Coast residents gathered in Los Osos on the morning of September 29 to witness a group of dolphins swimming in Cuesta Inlet. However, as the evening tide lowered, multiple dolphins became stuck in the mud.
According to the Marine Mammal Center, the dolphins arrived in the inlet at around 8:30 a.m. The group included a mix of adult and calf dolphins.
Experts from the center said that while the dolphins were observed to be behaving normally, there were questions about whether or not they would return to the bay.
As the tide lowered in the afternoon, three adults and one calf became stuck in the Cuesta Inlet, with an additional adult dolphin stuck in the nearby Shark Inlet.
Marine Mammal officials are hoping the dolphins will return to the bay when the tide rises on the morning of September 30th.
“We're hoping by that time that the dolphins swim out of the inlet and back into the bay, where they have deeper water. However, if they don't, we will continue to monitor and reevaluate the situation,” said Operations Coordinator with the Marine Mammal Center Emily Pomeroy.
If the dolphins do not swim out to the bay in the morning, officials plan to reassess the situation and possibly move them manually back to the ocean.
The exposed mud currently makes it unsafe for officials to enter the water and release the dolphins overnight.
