Animal rescue experts rescued and released two dolphins that were found stranded in a river on Cape Cod this week.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare received reports around 9 a.m. Thursday that several dolphins were seen swimming near the mouth of the Herring River in Wellfleet. Staff and volunteers from the agency responded and found two dolphins in a shallow, difficult to navigate area of the river known for its mud flats.
During the 11 a.m. high tide, they attempted to herd the dolphins out to deeper water using three boats, one of their own and two from the Wellfleet Harbormaster. But their herding efforts were unsuccessful, and around 4 p.m., IFAW crews decided to extract the dolphins from the river along Chequesset Neck Road using their dolphin rescue vehicle.
The dolphins were transported to a release site at Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown around sunset. The agency said it will continue to monitor the dolphins' movements over the coming days using a temporary satellite tag.
“It was a long, tiring day for these dolphins, and with the tide going out, we knew their greatest chance for survival was to transport them to deeper waters,” said Lauren Cooley of the IFAW. “With our mobile capabilities, we were able to give the dolphins a full physical exam, treatment, and supportive care to counter the effects of being trapped in shallow water. The deeper waters off Provincetown will be key to their success back in the wild.”
The rescues were conducted under a federal stranding agreement between IFAW and the National Marine Fisheries Service.
