In the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, fishermen are being praised for their quick thinking and responsible actions after a juvenile bottlenose dolphin unexpectedly jumped onto their boat. The fishermen contacted Russell Radio, a maritime radio service, for guidance. Following advice from a Department of Conservation (DoC) ranger, they kept the dolphin cool and shaded using an umbrella and hose, ensuring water didn't enter its blowhole, and returned to Waitangi jetty.
DoC staff and hapū members examined the dolphin, named Tohu (meaning "sign"), finding only minor scratches. After a health check, Tohu was released back into the sea and monitored until it displayed normal behavior. DoC encourages reporting marine mammal incidents to 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468). A similar incident in 2006 resulted in injuries to a person, highlighting the positive outcome of this recent event.