A young dolphin has been used to lure a pod of 100 to 150 others to safety after they were in danger of stranding themselves, Australian officials said Sunday.

Western Australia's Department of Environment and Conservation said the dolphins were milling in shallow water at Whalers Cove near Albany on the south coast and in danger of a mass stranding when found on Saturday.

One dolphin had already died.

Local conservation leader Deon Utber said wildlife experts moved a juvenile dolphin by boat to deeper waters at high tide on Saturday to entice the others to follow.

"The juvenile was sending out distress signals, which was calling the dolphins in, as soon as it was translocated to deeper waters the pod followed it out and last we saw they were swimming out to sea," he said in a statement.

Officials said there was no sign of the pod by Sunday morning.