This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7468691.stm

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Vets bid to help Clyde dolphin Clyde dolphin 'unlikely to live'
(about 2 hours later)
Animal rescue workers are trying to approach a Risso's dolphin that has got into difficulty in the River Clyde. A dolphin which has got into difficulty in the River Clyde is "unlikely" to survive, a vet has warned.
The mammal, which first appeared on Sunday morning, is attempting to swim further inland and is heading towards the city centre. Patrick Pollock, a fellow in equine surgery at Glasgow University, made the assessment after inspecting the Risso's dolphin from a fire brigade dinghy.
Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service has provided a dinghy so vets from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue charity can make a medical assessment. He said the mammal was "emaciated" and had a "nasty laceration" to its head.
Experts said it was rare for a Risso's dolphin to enter shallow, fresh water. The 10ft-long creature first appeared on Sunday and has been swimming further inland. So far, all attempts to usher it back out to sea have failed.
The dolphin was first seen in an area close to the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre. Mr Pollock said it had been quite difficult to get close to the dolphin but what he had seen was not good.
'Very thin' He said: "Essentially the animal looks fairly emaciated. It's got quite a nasty laceration over its head. We know from previous experience that once we see these animals coming up a river like the Clyde there's something far wrong Patrick Pollock Equine surgeon, Glasgow University
Attempts to usher the creature out to sea have so far failed. "I think it's unlikely (to survive) and not just because of the way it looks but just because of where it is.
Rescuers said the 10ft-long dolphin, usually found in the deep waters of the Atlantic, was in poor condition with a gash above its eye. "It's very unusual to have an animal in the upper part of the Clyde and particularly this species. It's usually found in deep water.
Nick Duthie, director of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "Certainly, it's in a pretty compromised body state at the moment. "These animals feed on squid and other animals that live in the deep sea area. We know from previous experience that once we see these animals coming up a river like the Clyde there's something far wrong."
"It's very thin and it does have a number of cuts and grazes on it so we are quite concerned for its health." Andy Ireland from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue also inspected the mammal.
He added that it was not possible to 'grab' the animal in the water as it would cause enormous stress to the dolphin and could be dangerous for the rescue team. He said: "We're going to play a waiting game and maybe we'll get a chance to intervene or maybe it will proceed back down the river.
He added that if the animal stranded itself it would be possible to attend to it and assess its condition. "The chances are it may strand somewhere, that's the best case scenario.
"If the dolphin came ashore we could actually get down there to it, get a good look at it and actually assess its condition a lot better."