Dolphins Rescued, Released On Cape Cod

PROVINCETOWN, MA — Two dolphins stranded near a river mouth on Cape Cod have been successfully returned to deeper waters.

International Fund for Animal Welfare experts acted swiftly to avoid a stranding of two common dolphins during an all-day effort on Thursday, officials said.

Animal rescue experts first received reports at about 9 a.m. that "several" dolphins were swimming near the mouth of the Herring River in Wellfleet. Staff and volunteers responded to assess the situation, eventually determining that two dolphins were in trouble.

“Volunteers remained on scene throughout the morning before sighting two dolphins in ‘the gut’ of the river, an area well-known for its shallow, difficult-to-navigate mud flats,” said Lauren Cooley, Animal Rescue Responder and Stranding Biologist with IFAW, in a news release.

“With an 11 a.m. high tide on our side, we mobilized to herd the dolphins back out to deeper water.”

The IFAW team used three vessels in a "careful herding attempt", including IFAW's own 15-foot inflatable Zodiac as well as the support of two vessels and crew from the Wellfleet Harbormaster.

The herding attempts were unsuccessful, however.

Nearing 4 p.m., IFAW experts switched tactics and the decision was made to extract the two dolphins along Chequesset Neck Road. This is the precise moment IFAW’s one-of-a-kind mobile dolphin rescue vehicle was made for—allowing the team to transport the dolphins safely, officials said.

“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 Cooley.

“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 dolphins were transported to a release site at Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown at sunset. Conditions were optimal and officials will monitor their movements via a temporary satellite tag in the coming days.