HEARTS DELIGHT, N.L. — A small Newfoundland community has become fixated on the plight of six dolphins trapped by ice in its harbour.
Wayne Ledwell of the Whale Release and Strandings Group says heavy ice off Heart’s Delight has cut off the exit route for the white-beaked dolphins, leaving them stranded in a pool of open water.
Ledwell says the pool had grown smaller overnight Monday as temperatures dropped and the water froze over, but a local resident helped break the ice with a speedboat.
He says dozens of residents have been flocking to the shores of Heart’s Delight this week, eager to check on the dolphins.
Wanda Worthman, who lives in the area, says the community of 650 people is worried about the dolphins’ well-being, considering they will remain trapped unless the winds shift and move the pack ice out of the harbour.
She says the dolphins were making noises and appeared to be in good condition Wednesday.