A dolphin who separated from his pod this week became stuck in shallow water near Huntington Beach, Calif., today, and is at risk of suffocating.

The dolphin was spotted only 12 feet from shore, swimming in circles in the shallow water this morning. Officials told ABC News affiliate KABC the dolphin seems disoriented and stressed, and if it were to get stuck in the mud could be at risk of suffocating.

"We don't know exactly what's wrong with this animal, but we're certainly concerned about it because of its abnormal behavior," Kelly O'Reilly, with the California Department of Fish and Game, told KABC. "It's highly unusual for a common dolphin to be in Bolsa Bay in the first place."

Divers are expected to enter the water to help aid the rescue effort today.