An Australian fisherman was left stunned after a dolphin jumped three meters into the air and landed on the back of his boat.
Bo Sawyer was on the water at Dunwich, on the western part of Queensland’s North Stradbroke Island, on Tuesday when the unexpected guest came aboard.
“We just saw a dolphin jump about ten feet in the air, break the console, and it’s currently on the boat,” Sawyer said in a video shared on TikTok.
“We’re just waiting for a group of wildlife to come and hopefully we can get this poor guy out.”
Sawyer said the dolphin was given a constant flow of water until wildlife services arrived, adding that the marine animal was too heavy to move on its own.
It took eight rangers from the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation, the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and Minjerribah Wildlife Rescue to get the dolphin back into the water safely.
Photos shared on social media by the QYAC showed rangers covering the animal with wet towels as they removed it from the boat.
“A dolphin jumped onto a chartered boat and our incredible QYAC Rangers along with QPWS Rangers and Minjerribah Wildlife Rescue quickly came to the rescue,” it said.
Bo Sawyer was on the water at Dunwich, on the western part of Queensland’s North Stradbroke Island, on Tuesday when an unexpected guest jumped aboard.
“Thanks to everyone involved, the dolphin was safely returned to the bay where it belongs.”
The dolphin appeared to have suffered minor scratches on its tail during the jump.
Adult bottlenose dolphins can weigh up to 200 kg, while calves can weigh up to 20 kg. Bottlenose dolphins can also grow up to almost 4 meters in length.
Several viewers suggested that Mr. Sawyer could have lifted the dolphin back into the water himself.
“Just pick it up and throw it away,” one person wrote.
“I would have thrown it into the water with a rag or driven to a nearby boat or dock to get help instead of waiting,” another said.
Many, however, pointed out that the dolphins were much heavier than they looked, and Sawyer admitted that he couldn’t even “move.”
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation for further comment.

It took eight rangers to help lift the heavy dolphin back into the water (pictured)

The dolphin returned to the ocean unharmed after a giant group effort (pictured)