Rescuers at Cape Cod have confirmed that the recent mass stranding event involving dolphins was the largest of its kind in US history. Beginning on June 28, the event saw a total of 146 dolphins stranded along the shoreline, marking a significant wildlife rescue effort.
According to Stacey Hedman, communications director at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), this event surpassed previous dolphin strandings in Hawaii and the Florida Keys in terms of the number of animals affected. Of the 146 dolphins involved, 102 were able to survive after several days of intensive rescue operations.
The rescue efforts included the tragic necessity of euthanizing seven dolphins, while 37 others succumbed naturally. Ongoing efforts post-event involved the rescue, relocation, and release of nine Atlantic white-sided dolphins, initially found stranded near Powers Landing in Wellfleet, Massachusetts on July 2. Two dolphins were euthanized, and the remaining nine were transported to deeper waters near Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown using a specially equipped mobile dolphin rescue clinic vehicle.
Challenges faced by rescuers included treacherous mud conditions and the scattered distribution of dolphins over a wide area. Techniques employed during the rescues included herding dolphins into deeper waters on foot and using boats equipped with underwater pingers to guide them back to safer oceanic environments.
Despite the difficulties, the effort was deemed a success with a survival rate of approximately 70%. This large-scale rescue operation was made possible by the collaboration of over 25 IFAW staff members, 100 trained volunteers, and support from organizations like the Whale and Dolphin Conservation, the Center for Coastal Studies, AmeriCorps of Cape Cod, and the New England Aquarium.
Reports following the rescue efforts have indicated that some of the dolphins, identified by temporary markings, have integrated back into larger groups of dolphins observed by whale-watching vessels in the region. The exact cause of the stranding remains undetermined, highlighting ongoing concerns and efforts to protect marine wildlife along the Cape Cod coast.
