Animal rescue workers on Saturday were working to direct dolphins away from the shallow waters surrounding Cape Cod after 125 of them became stranded in “dangerous mud” the previous day.
The Atlantic white-sided dolphins became trapped Friday along the Great Island at the Herring River in Wellfleet, Mass., sparking a race to rescue them, said the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
Stacey Hedman, director of communications for the IFAW, said the area — which is also known as “The Gut” — is difficult to access and is often the site of strandings.
“There is no set reason for why these dolphins strand,” Hedman said. “Cape Cod is a global stranding hotspot due to the curvature of our shores and the fluctuation of our tides.”
By the time rescue teams arrived on the scene Friday, 10 dolphins had already died.
Misty Niemeyer, the organization’s stranding coordinator, said rescuers faced many challenges including difficult mud conditions and the dolphins being spread out over a large area. She said teams spent an “exhausting” 12 hours wrangling and herding the dolphins out into deeper waters.
The rescue operation, involving a team of 25 fund workers and 100 volunteers, continued on into Saturday. The Whale and Dolphin Conservation, the Center for Coastal Studies, AmeriCorps of Cape Cod and the New England Aquarium are also assisting in the efforts.
They’ve been relying on three small vessels in the water to guide the dolphins and underwater noise pingers to urge them in the right direction.
Hedman noted that it was “the largest single mass stranding event in IFAW’s response history over 25 years.”
With News Wire Services
