Suicidal young woman saved by dolphins, scientist says

Maddalena Bearzi, recounts some amazing experiences with dolphins in her new book, Dolphin Confidential: Confessions of a Field Biologist. But National Geographic recently selected one stunning encounter that is sure to bring a tear to any reader’s eye. Bearzi, who is the president and co-founder of the Ocean Conservation Society, deftly details the time a school of bottlenose dolphins feeding off the shore of California inexplicably changed direction. Her boat followed and came upon a young foreign woman who was adrift in the water. She had attempted suicide, but the dolphins intervened before the ocean could claim her.

“If we hadn’t found her, if the dolphins hadn’t led us offshore when they did, to that specific place, she would have died,” Bearzi wrote.

Some have questioned the veracity of the claim. Bearzi has responded on Facebook:

“As I explained in the article (and there are more details in the book), there were other researchers aboard and we met up with the lifeguards at sea and later on with the doctor at the hospital so other people can verify this. The story has been adapted from the book Dolphin Confidential (use of the past). Hope this answers your questions.”