Massachusetts, United States

As many as 125 Atlantic white-sided dolphins were stranded on a beach near the US town of Wellfleet, Massachusetts, said the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), on Friday (Jun 28). 

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What we know about the ‘mass stranding’

According to the IFAW, around 125 Atlantic white-sided dolphins became stranded off Cape Cod out of which at least 10 have died. The incident has prompted an intensive rescue effort. 

The organisation said that it was assisting the dolphins stuck at The Gut or Great Island at the Herring River in Massachusetts, which they described as “the epicenter of mass strandings,” in a social media post. 

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In a statement, Stacey Hedman, director of communications for the IFAW, said that “The Gut” was a very difficult location to access and was covered in “dangerous mud”. 

The 10 dolphins had died before IFAW staff even arrived on the scene, Hedman said.

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The group which rescues, rehabilitates and releases animals, called this the “largest single mass stranding event” in its over 25-year history, in a post on X. 

A report by Cape Cod Times said many dolphins were completely out of the water, while others were seen in shallow waters nearby.  

The IFAW director of communications noted that there was “no set reason for why these dolphins strand.”

She added, “Cape Cod is a global stranding hotspot due to the curvature of our shores and the fluctuation of our tides.” 

Rescue efforts 

The group said that with low tide at 11:23 am (local time), their staff and volunteers were in shallow water on foot attempting to herd the dolphins back out to deeper waters. 

Additionally, the IFAW said it was also using three small vessels to continue herding efforts and underwater pingers to urge the dolphins to move towards deeper waters. 

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“The plan, given the number, is to triage and aim to support animals, refloat and herd as many as possible,” Hedman told CNN, in a statement. 

It added, “Luckily, it is cooler today, but these animals will risk sunburn and overheating until the tide rises, and then we have the challenge of herding them into deeper water.”

The group said at least 25 IFAW staff and 100 volunteers were on the scene. They are working with the support of Whale and Dolphin Conservation, the Center for Coastal Studies, AmeriCorps of Cape Cod and the New England Aquarium.

(With inputs from agencies)