Body Cam Footage Shows Miami Police Officer Rescue Young Dolphin From Fishing Net
A Florida police officer's body camera was rolling when he helped free a young dolphin tangled in a fishing net last month.
Video shared to social media this week shows Miami-Dade police officer Nelson Silva slowly pulling the "little baby dolphin" closer to his boat to cut away the netting.
"Come on, it's ok," Silva can be heard telling the frightened animal while struggling to get a grip on the net.
"Come on big guy. Come here," he says after remarking on the strength of the dolphin. "It's OK, I got you. I got you buddy."
Silva, a member of the police department's Marine Patrol Unit, was sent to search the Intracoastal Waterway near Miami Shores after police received a call about a "dolphin in distress," Miami Herald reports.
It takes a bit of effort, but eventually Silva managed to extricate the animal—but not before cutting himself in the process.
Miami-Dade Police Department
There is no doubt that Silva saved the young dolphin's life that day. According to the World Wildlife Fund, entanglement in discarded fishing gear, or "bycatch," is the biggest cause of death for dolphins, small whales, and porpoises.
To report a sick or injured dolphin, contact the FWC's Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).
