A mother dolphin and her calf strayed off the usual route and ended up stuck in a Massachusetts marsh, prompting a rapid response from a marine mammal rescue team.
On Dec. 8, the Wareham Department of Natural Resources received a call about two dolphins trapped near Beaverdam Creek, which drains into Buzzards Bay and ultimately the Atlantic Ocean. When the crew arrived, they found two common dolphins alive and alert, but partially out of the water, floating in the marsh.
The local authorities contacted the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Marine Mammal Stranding Response Team from Cape Cod. IFAW specialists carried the dolphins onto stretchers and moved them to a safer location, where they performed initial health checks.
According to IFAW’s senior director of communications, Stacey Hedman, “Our teams were easily able to extract the animals and transport them via our custom-built rescue vehicle.” The animals were weighed— the smaller dolphin was about 90 lbs and the larger one roughly 150 lbs. Further assessment confirmed the pair consisted of an adult female and her juvenile companion.
While IFAW noted some concerns regarding the mother’s reduced responsiveness and abnormal blood work, the duo was considered healthy enough for release. They were returned to the ocean off West Dennis Beach in Dennis, Massachusetts.
Hedman added that “By releasing them into an area with many other dolphins around, this would hopefully increase their chances of socialization and survival.” Both dolphins now carry satellite tags, which are still successfully tracking their movements.
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