Two Risso’s Dolphins Have Been Rescued & Released After Becoming Stranded Off The Coast Of Massachusetts

Photo by: Andrea Spence / © IFAW, Activities conducted under a federal stranding agreement between IFAW and NMFS under the MMPA.

A full day effort to rescue two Risso’s dolphins last month ended with the successful release of both dolphins off the coast of Provincetown, MA, at Herring Cove Beach.

IFAW responded to two separate calls of stranded Risso’s dolphins. “Our mobile dolphin rescue vehicle was custom-built to respond to complicated stranding events like this,” said Misty Niemeyer, Stranding Coordinator – Marine Mammal Rescue at IFAW. “We were able to address both stranding events simultaneously leading to the successful release of both animals.”

The first call to IFAW’s stranding hotline came late at night with reports of a Risso’s dolphin stranded at Ryder’s Beach in Truro, but response was not safe after dark. IFAW’s marine mammal rescue team reached the site early in the morning the following day and thankfully found the animal alive.

The adult female Risso’s dolphin, estimated to be about 700lbs, required more than thirty responders, including IFAW veterinarians, staff, and volunteers, as well as assistance from The Cape Cod National Seashore, Center for Coastal Studies, and AmeriCorps Cape Cod, to move the animal into IFAW’s one-of-a-kind mobile dolphin rescue vehicle for transportation to a deeper water release site.

While responders were rescuing the adult dolphin, a second call to IFAW’s stranding hotline came through about a possible stranding of a Risso’s dolphin calf in Provincetown, a few miles away. While the Truro female was loaded in the mobile dolphin rescue vehicle, the team proceeded to Provincetown to find the calf stranded alone. The calf was transported to the mobile dolphin rescue vehicle to join the other animal.

Responders were able to conduct diagnostic health tests and treatments on the animals and determined that while both animals were stressed from the stranding event, they were healthy enough to be released. Both animals were fitted with temporary satellite tags that enable the team to continue to track their movements at sea.

IFAW’s marine mammal rescue team recently marked its 25-year anniversary and has responded to over 7,000 marine mammal strandings.