About 20 people rescued a group of stranded dolphins that had been herded by a pod of transient orcas, Monday near Powell River.

Rescuers believe the orcas had pushed the 16 Pacific white-sided dolphins into an old fishing trap close to shore.

Susan MacKay 含羞草研究社� founder of Whales and Dolphins BC, a publication of the Wild Ocean Whale Society 含羞草研究社� praised the efforts of community members who saved the dolphins with tarps and blankets.

含羞草研究社淭hey jumped in right away. The majority were from the Tla含羞草研究社檃min Nation,含羞草研究社� MacKay said. 含羞草研究社淏y the time I found out they were getting stuck, and I communicated with DFO (Fisheries and Oceans Canada), there were only a few left still stuck in that pool. It (rescue) went very quickly.含羞草研究社�

She credits the rescuers who remained with the dolphins to ensure their safety after they had carried them into deeper water.

含羞草研究社淭hey all got out, and they all grouped up and continued south, which was the opposite direction that the orca went in,含羞草研究社� MacKay said. 含羞草研究社淓veryone was absolutely thrilled they managed to swim away OK, and they weren含羞草研究社檛 stranded for any horrific length of time.含羞草研究社�

Being meat eaters, MacKay said transient orcas will sneak up on dolphins, and then disperse them.

含羞草研究社淭hey tend to stick with one group,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檝e seen it happen where they含羞草研究社檝e herded them into bays on a regular basis. Sometimes it becomes a mass slaughter, if the dolphins are totally stuck. These dolphins were looking for any method to hide. They were able to get shallower than the orca, but the orca were back and forth. They were really quite relentless. Just waiting for them.含羞草研究社�