Rescuers Save 12 Dolphins After Mass Stranding In Two-Day Effort In Cape Cod ( 4 photo's )

https://worldanimalnews.com/ 

Photos by: Julia Cumes/ IFAW

Over the weekend, a coordinated marine mammal rescue operation in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, led to the successful rescue and release of multiple dolphins after a series of strandings. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) received the first call to its Stranding Hotline just before 8 AM on Saturday, reporting several dolphins swimming in Chipman’s Cove. This area is a known stranding hotspot due to its shallow bays, shifting tidal flats, and hook-like geography, which can confuse and trap marine mammals.

Soon after the report, IFAW volunteers confirmed the presence of 12 dolphins in the cove. With low tide expected at 10:30 AM, the window for action was tight. IFAW’s team of experts mobilized quickly, deploying trained responders and equipment to the scene in a race against the changing tides. Their rapid response was crucial to guiding the dolphins back to deeper waters and preventing further strandings.

“These strandings happen fast, and every minute counts,” said Nicole Hunter, rescue manager at IFAW. “Our teams worked through rising heat, shifting tides, and difficult terrain to reach and support these dolphins. We know each animal is an individual life, and every rescue is an act of hope.”  

At the time of low tide, multiple animals began stranding at several locations in Wellfleet. In total, seven of the twelve dolphins stranded, with some still swimming in water.

By midday, those seven animals were extracted into IFAW’s custom-built mobile dolphin rescue unit, the remaining five continuing to swim in Wellfleet Harbor. The transported dolphins received veterinary treatments, including IV fluids and supportive care, to keep them as cool and comfortable as possible as they reached the release site off Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown. 

Volunteers remained on alert overnight. Early Sunday morning, five dolphins were re-sighted in the Herring River Gut in Wellfleet. One died prior to the team’s arrival, and the four live animals were transported and released into deeper water, also off Herring Cove Beach.

All of the released dolphins swam off strongly, with one dolphin each day fitted with a satellite tag to allow for continued monitoring after release. All 12 dolphins involved in the two-day rescue were common dolphins, a species regularly seen in the waters around Cape Cod. The group was made up of six males and six females, representing a mix of age classes, from juveniles to subadults and adults.

IFAW has responded to a total of 100 dolphin and porpoise stranding events so far this year across Cape Cod and southeastern, MA. Even with decades of experience, situations like this demand rapid mobilization of staff, volunteers, veterinarians, and specialized response equipment. This weekend’s events included collaboration with the Cape Cod National Park Service.

“To see dolphins stranded is always heartbreaking,” continued Hunter. “What sustains us—the rescue teams, the volunteers, the veterinarians—is seeing those same animals swim away. It reminds us why we do this work.” 

To report a live or stranded marine mammal, text or call IFAW’s Stranding Hotline at (508) 743‑9548.