Animal welfare workers rescued 10 dolphins across five Cape Cod towns after the animals were stranded Saturday.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) said they got the first call for a stranded dolphin on Ellis Landing Beach in Brewster around 6:30 a.m. By noon, the team had responded to eight strandings - including on Sea Stree Beach in Dennis, First Encounter Beach in Eastham, Crowes Pasture in Dennis, Herring River Gut in Wellfleet, and Mayo Beach in Welfleet and Skaket Beach in Orleans.
The teams rescued 10 of the dolphins, which were taken to Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown to be released. Four others died before rescuers arrived, and two did not survive despite the rescuers' efforts. Experts believe they were all part of the same pod.
“High winds, cold weather, challenging surf, and the large size of the animals all contributed to a strenuous response with obstacles at every turn,” said Kira Kasper, a biologist and animal rescue responder at IFAW. “With multiple strandings at different locations, every moment counts.”
Cape Cod sees more stranded dolphins than anywhere else in the world, according to IFAW, which added that 2024 has been a historically difficult year.
