IFAW receives additional reports of stranded dolphins

By Denise Coffey

Posted Aug 11, 2020 

4 animals treated Monday believed to be part of pod that was stuck in Wellfleet Gut.

WELLFLEET — Staff and volunteers from the International Fund for Animal Welfare spent much of Monday searching for stranded dolphins in Wellfleet waters.

The fund’s stranding coordinator, Misty Niemeyer, suspects they were from the same pod involved in Sunday’s stranding in a portion of Wellfleet Harbor.

On Sunday morning, volunteers and staff were called to help 45 dolphins stranded in The Gut. Most of the dolphins were refloated out into the harbor with the tide. Two animals were dead, and two more had to be euthanized. Nine others were treated and transported to Duck Harbor Beach and released.

By Sunday night, another dolphin had stranded and had to be euthanized. Additional calls came in early Monday morning about dolphins in Duck Creek, Wellfleet Harbor and Blackfish Creek.

Staff members spent hours trying to extract two animals from the thick mud of Duck Creek. One animal died and the other had to be euthanized.

“Given their sunburns and their condition, we think they were from the original stranding,” Niemeyer said.

Two more dolphins were found in Shipman’s Cove and Blackfish Creek, but both were euthanized after blood tests were conducted. 

“All the animals we saw were in such rough shape, they were probably going to die,” Neimeyer said. “Euthanasia was the most humane option.”

There were numerous reports of animals swimming or stranded, but not all of the reports could be confirmed, Niemeyer said. Rangers from the Cape Cod National Seashore, staff from the Wellfleet harbormaster’s office, Wellfleet police and many bystanders helped in the search. 

Niemeyer urges anyone who sees a dead or stranded animal to call the fund’s rescue line at 508-743-9548. She also said people should keep a safe distance from any stranded animal and keep other animals away.

As of Tuesday, 23 dolphins remain unaccounted for from Sunday. IFAW received a report of four dolphins swimming out of Wellfleet Harbor on Monday.

“That was a hopeful sign,” Niemeyer said.

For more information on strandings, visit ifaw.org.