Long Beach Fire Department lifeguards rescued a dolphin that appeared to be sick on Alamitos Beach Monday afternoon, officials said.

A small group of people first spotted the dolphin around 1 p.m. and called officials, LBFD Marine Chief Gonzolo Medina said. A lifeguard responded and made contact with the dolphin for about an hour, keeping it in place until Marine Animal Rescue arrived, according to Medina.

The Marine Animal Rescue Center transported the dolphin off the beach to take it to their care center, Medina said.

The center doesn’t yet know what the dolphin is sick with, but if it survives, it will have to be sent to SeaWorld for rehabilitation, said Peter Wallerstein, president of the center.