At least four dolphins were found stranded on La Candelaria beach, in the province of Los Santos, specifically in an area of the beach full of rocks. The alert was given by residents of the sector, who, upon seeing the dolphins, tried to help them and notified the authorities. Thanks to citizen assistance, the dolphins returned to the sea. However, technicians from the Ministry of Environment (MiAmbiente) in Los Santos and units of the National Aeronaval Service (SENAN) activated their protocols for handling such cases. According to reports, after receiving the alert from area residents, the technical team confirmed that the animals had already been assisted by community members who managed to get them back into the sea. So far, the causes of the stranding have not yet been determined, but specialists indicated that among the possible reasons are animal disorientation, some health condition, or the effect of the tide, which at that time left sectors with considerably low water levels. The regional director in charge of MiAmbiente in Los Santos, Lisbeth Vargas, highlighted the community's solidarity but reiterated the importance of not handling marine animals directly. 'The community's response was key to helping these dolphins. We appreciate that gesture, but we ask to avoid direct contact with marine fauna, as there are health risks for both people and animals. In any case, it is necessary to immediately notify the authorities,' she expressed. MiAmbiente recalled that the coast of the province of Los Santos is one of the areas in the country where strandings have been recorded most frequently, and that multiple stranding events, like this one, had not occurred since 2016, highlighting the importance of registering and monitoring this type of case. The entity made a special call to citizens, fishermen, and residents of coastal areas to immediately report any stranding of dolphins, whales, or other anomalies in marine fauna, in order to allow for timely, safe, and specialized care.
