State fisheries department director Ismail Ibrahim said this was not unusual as dolphins normally make a stop in the Kuala Perlis waters before travelling to the Indian Ocean.

“Marine mammals such as dolphins and whales stop here (Kuala Perlis) every year in September probably because of the fish in the area,” he told Bernama here today.

Ismail was asked to comment on recent incidents where fishermen were reported to have rescued stranded dolphins in Kampung Sungai Baru.

He said among the species of marine mammals that have been spotted in the Kuala Perlis waters are the Irrawaddy dolphins, bottlenose dolphins and whale sharks.

He said the department had received two reports from fishermen who had helped to rescue two Irrawaddy dolphins (Sept 3) and a bottlenose dolphin (Sept 7). On Sept 6 the department received a report on the discovery of a dolphin carcass.

Ismail thanked the fishermen for their efforts in rescuing the stranded dolphins.

“We are planning to conduct a dolphin rescue simulation exercise for fishermen to teach them the correct method of rescuing and treating the marine mammals before they are released back into deeper waters,” he said.