NAVI MUMBAI: A six-foot long dolphin , which was stranded in Amba river in Nagothane for more than 14 hours on Wednesday, swam back to sea by late night.

The Indo-pacific humpbacked dolphin somehow lost its way from the sea creek at Dharamtar near Alibaug and swam over 40 km towards the freshwater of Amba river, said chief conservator of forests (mangrove cell) N Vasudevan who rushed to the spot to guide the marine creature find its way. “By late night, the dolphin found its way back to the sea,” he said.

A week ago, a massive blue whale was stranded on Revdanda beach near Alibaug where it died.

A crowd of villagers gathered on the banks of the river to take a peek at the dolphin — a novelty for many.

Vasudevan said that a group of at least three other dolphins was also spotted about 20 km from Dharamtar creek. “The dolphins usually communicate with other group members through powerful sound waves. After the stranded dolphin found its way, the others too went back,” said Vasudevan, a marine biologist.

Another marine biologist from Bombay Natural History Society, Deepak Apte, said that such stranding of sea creatures does take place periodically along various coasts around the world. “Raigad coast is usually shallow and can confuse large marine animals,” said Apte.

At Revdanda beach where the blue whale had been washed ashore and later died, the remnants of its carcass are raising a stink where its carcass was cremated.