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Paul Bersebach / AP
A dolphin swims in wetlands at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach, Calif. Rescue crews tried over the weekend to guide the confused dolphin from the shallow waters of Bolsa Chica.
A lone dolphin that has spent the past five days swimming in the Bolsa Chica wetlands in Southern California may be the victim of bullying, NBCLosAngeles.com reported.
The dolphin may have been prevented from leaving the Huntington Beach nature preserve by other dolphins, Peter Wallerstein, director of Marine Animal Rescue told the Register. This would be a rare occurrence, as dolphins are social creatures that typically travel in a pod.
NBCLosAngeles.com: Dolphin chooses to stay in Bolsa Chica wetlands
“He was scared, he was intimidated, he was bullied,” Wallerstein told the Los Angeles Times. Dolphins "can be very aggressive toward each other. They’re not the sweet, loving, gentle animals portrayed by the movies and the cartoons. They do have a dark side.”
On Saturday, Wallerstein and officers from the state Department of Fish and Game used paddle boards to shoo the dolphin back to the ocean. When two other dolphins emerged, apparently blocking the lone dolphin's path back to the ocean, it dove under the paddle boards and swam back to the wetlands.
But Dennis Kelly, who has studied dolphins and marine life for 34 years, told the Orange County Register that he doubted the dolphin is being bullied.
“Maybe the others are angry,” Kelly, an instructor of Orange Coast College, said. “‘You’re lagging behind, you moron.’ Maybe they were going whack it. ‘You’re not paying attention. Slap! OK, we’re leaving.’”
On Monday, the 7-foot dolphin stayed put and fed on fish. Observers said the dolphin could figure out on its own how to return to the ocean via the narrow channel.
For now, marine life experts are adopting a hands-off approach while watching the dolphin around the clock.
Meantime, crowds have gathered and are beginning to name the dolphin, even if they don’t know its sex. Contenders are Fred and Bolsa Chica Bob.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:
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Who in the hell says this dolphin needs to be rescued and is confused???? It's munching on fish and there is a pod of @!$%#s that want to kick its ass. As soon as the other dolphins leave, it will probably swim out. Dolphins separating from their pods is highly usual. Males are constantly fighting for position to be able to assume the position.
Things usually don't turn out well for bullied sea mammals.
Remember the gay whale who was so upset from bullying he bit off the end of a submarine and sucked out all the seamen?
heh omg....that was just horrible......
Was it Savagely bullied because it is a heterosexual conservative Christian dolphin?
The government must provide a safety net to control the market-driven rise and fall of these right-wing tides.
"Not one dolphin left behind!"
Swim with Biden in 2012!
Wow this just shows that bullying is a very natural thing. Everyone is going so crazy about bullying. Even these dolphins do it. I don't see this dolphin killing himself because of it though.
Not yet, Jaammmeeees. But I have a feeling this poor dolphin is going to hang himself in some kelp.
After intense research and exhaustive study, an explanation has been found:
This is the last dolphin supporting the GOP and he has been ostracized from dolphin society for his unpopular position.
SERIOUSLY!!!!!! Get over it... The freakin Dolphin is stuck.. That's it.. That's All.... Freakin Bullying... WHATEVER!!
I am not sure how human emotions and behaviors are being ascribed to a pod of dolphins (or any other animal, for that matter). There is probably some reason, unbeknownst to humans, for this dolphin to be where it is and for its treatment by other dolphins. Is everyone sure that this dolphin belongs to this pod? Maybe it got lost from its own pod and is trying to be accepted by another and they don't want it. Perhaps they sense that something is not quite right with this loner and are dealing with it the only way they know how.
The animal kingdom lives by its own rules, which can be quite brutal to us. Humans don't understand those rules. Leave the dolphin alone and go back to being human.
Damn those mean bully Dolphins. I think Congress and CA state should pass a law that makes bullying Dolphins punishable by having to swim laps around Half Moon Bay and on the national level the punishment should be to have to navigate the Mississippi River.
maybe we should equip the dolphin with a wire and see if its being bullied in his school er pod....
I see a discrimination lawsuit because the other dolphins are not very inclusive and are bullying the one dolphin in the pod that has an alternative lifestyle.
These dolphins obviously haven't seen that anti-bullying movie. ALL dolphins need to see that film!
I do believe daewin wrote a book about this. yep I think it's called Natural Selection. It happens.
typo sorry darwin
Ah, the boundless idiocy of humans!! Just leave the dolphin alone; it will work out the problem by itself or die. The ways of life for dolphins are known to dolphins, not necessarily to self appointed "experts".
Dolphin bullying was documented--on film--years before bullying became a current "buzz word." It will come as no surprise that experts--who have studied dolphins for years, and not just quarterbacked on a news article--believe young male dolphins are the culprits. Young male elephants are known to do it, and wolves have ostracizated pack members. It's not about "humanizing" animals, it's about observing animal behavior.
so bullying is "natural" and it is good for the species....
Stop the fin-on-fin violence!
Thanks MSNBC and LA Times, that's the funniest libtard bullshyt I've heard all day. But it is only noon....
,'-D
I wonder what are you saying when you are watching "Snow White and seven dwarfs"? Obama conspiracy?
Everyone has problems.
Not to worry. Our U.S. congress has nothing important to do just now. I'm sure they will soon be holding hearings on this and offering up an anti-bullying bill for cetaceans.
I think the word "bullying" is a little extreme. Semantically, that word carries a judgement of inappropriate aggression, the key word being inappropriate. How is any human supposed to pass judgement on what kind of behavior is appropriate for a dolphin and what isn't, or for any animal, for that manner? Frankly, this just strikes me as a needlessly inflammatory story built around use of the word "bully" in the headline.
eek eek OowoooopP!beyouuuuu.
Now while you all are debating....Ya mind if I go to msn and beat the asses of whoever decided the bullying issue needed a little gas on it?
right on PAIN. but still I needed a good laugh today...
This is probably not a real news article - but a Saturday Night Live scketch....
Need to expand our "ant-bullying" laws to cover dolphins. Bullying is not acceptable in any form!!!!!
enogh is not being done by our government- we are not bankrupt yet!!!
You know this dolphin felt like it was born weyyyyyooooouuuuuuuup!eeeep ooooouuuuuuep
Must be a Dorkfish. I caught one on a corndog once
A victim of bullying seeks asylum in Huntington Beach? Really? Sounds like "Freddie" meant to turn left at Laguna Beach, or West Hollywood... or Santa Monica!
Where are the Dem/Commie crowd..we need a law and new programs to stop dolphin bullying...if it just saves one dolphen...:o)
Not one dolphin left behind!!
Swim with Biden in 2012!