A dolphin badly injured in a shark attack has been escorted by a mate into the care of human hands.
Nari sustained a hideous wound across his head and back, and when he went missing, wildlife experts feared he had died.
The 12-year-old dolphin failed to turn up for his ritual feeding off the coast of Queensland - but so did his older companion Echo.
But after three days the pair turned up with the rest of the group.
Mr Trevor Long, a dolphin expert from Sea World on the Gold Coast, said: 'We didn't see Nari again until the third day, when he turned up with Echo at his side.
'Dolphins are highly social animals and they have an extremely strong bond. There is no reason to think other than that Echo stayed with Nari for a few days, waiting until Nari was well enough to make it back to the feeding area.
What has thrilled wildlife experts even more is the trust that Nari has appeared to put in the humans who were able to lift him without a struggle into a boat and take him to the mainland to be treated by vets.
'It was a pretty bumpy ride back to the shore, but Nari remained calm all the way,' said Mr Long. 'It was as if he was putting his trust in us.
'We were very concerned about him when he failed to turn up last week but he's in good hands now.
'The injury is quite severe - the bite went right through the skin, flesh and blubber down to the muscle and Nari's pretty sore.
Source.
Dolphins > Dogs.
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