He was happy to lend a hand.
A relaxing day at a busy South African beach suddenly turned into an urgent wildlife rescue after visitors spotted nine tiny birds struggling in a tide pool.
At first, the animals were difficult to identify from a distance. But when people moved closer, they realized they were goslings that had become separated from their parents and trapped in the water.
The situation was becoming dangerous fast.
With the tide steadily rising, the young birds risked being carried away from shore and swept out to sea if no one stepped in.
Concerned beachgoers contacted Lindy Elmes of Wildlife Rescue, who quickly made her way to the area.
With help from local security staff, Elmes began working out how to reach the stranded goslings safely.
The rescue required someone comfortable enough in the water to swim out toward them.
That person turned out to be Warrick, a teenager who happened to be at the beach.
Although he initially seemed a little hesitant about the attention, Warrick agreed to help.
He swam out toward the birds carrying a net, then carefully used it to direct the frightened goslings toward the shore.
Rescuers waiting near the water’s edge collected them one by one as they came within reach.
Before long, all nine youngsters had been brought to safety.
But getting them out of the tide pool was only the first part of the job.
Elmes still needed to reunite the babies with their parents.
Rather than trying to capture the adult birds, she decided to let them follow naturally.
“Once we had placed the babies gently into the container, I knew the parents would follow,” Elmes told The Dodo. “It’s way too stressful for the parents to be caught and also very difficult to catch any birds in flight.”
The plan worked.
As rescuers carried the goslings toward a safer release area, the adult birds stayed close behind.
Eventually, the entire family was reunited.
Once released, the goslings and their parents moved off together, safely away from the dangerous water where the babies had become trapped.
For Elmes, seeing that reunion was the most rewarding part of the rescue.
“Any release or reunion of animals is what keeps me doing what I do,” she said. “It’s the best feeling ever.”
What began as a frightening sight for beach visitors ended with all nine goslings safely back where they belonged — thanks to quick-thinking strangers, a teenage volunteer and a rescue team determined to keep the family together.