Dolphins found in Beaver Dam Creek turning new tides upon return to the ocean
The dolphins were loaded onto a soft mat and transported by a team from International Fund for Animal Welfare. Photo by Brandy Muz
The dolphins in the back of the dolphin ambulance. Source: International Fund for Animal Welfare.
The dolphins were loaded onto a soft mat and transported by a team from International Fund for Animal Welfare. Photo by Brandy Muz
The dolphins in the back of the dolphin ambulance. Source: International Fund for Animal Welfare.
Things for the two dolphins rescued from the marshes of Beaver Dam Creek are going swimmingly after the pair were released off of a beach in West Dennis weeks ago.
At approximately 10:45 a.m. Monday, Dec. 8 the Wareham Department of Natural Resourced received a call about two live stranded dolphins in the marshes of Beaver Dam Creek. The International Fund for Animal Welfare team responded with a "dolphin ambulance" staffed by a veteranarian and biologists that assessed what condition the two dolphins were in.
"[The dolphins] can get various treatments and they often get IV fluids which kind of helps combat the shock and stress of the straining event itself," said Nicole Hunter, who does marine mammal rescue with the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
After loading the dolphins into their ambulance, the team headed straight for West Dennis and it was during this drive that it was determined the dolphins were healthy enough for release.
"Our veteranrian goes through the organ systems so she's listening to the lungs and heart and making sure everything sounds clear," Hunter said. "She checked for any types of wounds and then we take blood samples to see if there's any underlying infection."
Once it was determined the dolphins could be released, temporary trackers were placed on them so the International Fund for Animal Welfare can be an eye on the animals.
Today only one tracker is still going and Hunter said it is showing good signs. One of the dolphins traveled north and is currently east of Gloucester.
According to the The International Fund for Animal Welfare's website, Cape Cod sees more instances of live mass strandings of dolphins than anywhere else in the world. Dolphins like the ones rescued from Beaver Dam Creek are transported to the organization's rehabilitation facility, monitored continuously, reassessed and released when their stranding-related conditions have sufficiently improved.
The dolphins, predicted to be around 90 and 150 pounds respectively, were carried out of the marsh together examined by the organization’s vet who was in the rescue truck who was on scene.
