Marine mammal experts are tracking a pod of bottlenose dolphins after the largest known stranding of the species was reported off the coast of Massachusetts. The incident on Monday, July 13, involved nearly 30 bottlenose dolphins that became stranded along the Brewster coastline, spread across beaches between First Light and Ellis Landing.
While many of the dolphins were refloated with the incoming tide, some died before rescue teams could intervene. By Tuesday morning, the situation escalated as 19 live dolphins were found stranded across three separate locations spanning a nine-mile stretch from Brewster to Wellfleet.
Specialized Rescue Efforts
Rescue teams from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), operating under a federal stranding agreement with NOAA Fisheries, responded to the crisis. The area, described as being within the ‘crook’ of Wellfleet and Eastham, is recognized as a hotspot for mass stranding events due to extreme tidal fluctuations and shallow flats, according to IFAW.
Crews managed to fit two of the stranded dolphins with satellite tags. These tags allowed rescuers to monitor the animals as they separated and later reunited, forming a single pod of approximately 22 dolphins. By Wednesday, satellite data indicated the tagged dolphins had moved northwest of Sandy Neck Beach in Barnstable, suggesting they had reached safer, deeper waters.
Public Caution Advised
IFAW officials emphasized that stranded marine mammals require specialized care and cautioned the public against attempting to assist them independently. They advised that individuals who encounter stranded or distressed marine mammals should maintain a safe distance and contact trained rescue experts immediately.
"Similar to a person involved in a car accident, dolphins can become injured and exhausted during a stranding event and should never be pushed or dragged back into the water," IFAW stated. The organization conducts its rescue activities under a federal stranding agreement with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) as part of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.