Park officials rescued a juvenile dolphin that was caught in a weighted fishing net in southern Thailand.

The 6ft Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin was seen trapped in the loose net off Yong Ling Beach in Trang province on January 15.

The Hat Chao Mai National Park dispatched wildlife rescuers who cut away the rope net that was wrapped tightly around the hapless dolphin's body.

Atthaphon Charoenchansa, the director-general of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), said it took rescuers around four hours to free the cetacean because it was severely entangled and they were being careful not to injure it further.

The dolphin had abrasions on its dorsal fin and near the base of its tail, but it was able to swim normally, the officers said.

Vets administered painkillers before releasing the dolphin into the ocean.

The DNP said it was coordinating with local communities to monitor stranded marine animals.

The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin is a species of humpback dolphin found in coastal waters in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are classified as 'vulnerable' under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species because of habitat loss, water pollution, overfishing, and coastal development.