Record Dolphin Stranding Prompts Major Rescue Effort on Cape Cod

Bottlenose dolphin stranding on Cape Cod. Photo courtesy IFAW from 2024.

Marine mammal rescue teams spent two days responding to one of the largest bottlenose dolphin stranding events ever recorded in Massachusetts after dozens of dolphins became trapped along Cape Cod’s tidal flats.

The first calls came early Monday morning when approximately 34 bottlenose dolphins stranded between First Light Beach and Ellis Landing in Brewster. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), assisted by volunteers, rushed to the scene to keep the animals cool and stable until the incoming tide allowed them to be returned to deeper water. While five or six dolphins died before rescuers could reach them, the remaining animals were successfully refloated.

The rescue effort continued Tuesday after another 19 live bottlenose dolphins stranded across a nine-mile stretch between Brewster and Wellfleet. All 19 were successfully returned to the water, and two dolphins were fitted with satellite tags so researchers can monitor their movements and determine whether the pod remains safely offshore.

According to IFAW, the surviving dolphins from Monday’s rescue initially headed toward Wellfleet Harbor, prompting crews to use boats and drones to encourage the pod back toward deeper water and away from the shallow tidal flats that make the area one of the world’s leading marine mammal stranding hotspots.

Cape Cod’s hook-shaped shoreline, expansive mudflats and dramatic tidal swings can disorient dolphins, especially as they follow schools of fish into shallow water. Once the tide recedes, the animals can quickly become trapped. Bottlenose dolphins have also been appearing more frequently in Cape Cod Bay in recent years, increasing the likelihood of these events.

IFAW reminds beachgoers that stranded dolphins should never be pushed or dragged back into the water. Anyone who encounters a stranded or distressed marine mammal should keep a safe distance, keep pets away, and contact trained responders immediately.