Photo: International Fund For Animal Welfare
WELLFLEET, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — After a nearly seven-hour rescue effort in Wellfleet, ten dolphins were rescued after being stranded in shallow waters.
According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), staff and volunteers responded to an initial report of 11 dolphins who were stuck in shallow waters on Tuesday afternoon.
Rescuers arrived at the scene and found eight dolphins in Duck Creek and three in Herring River known as "The Gut," which is known as an extremely challenging spot for rescues because of its shallow slopes and intense tidal fluctuations.
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“This rescue had many challenges due to the number of dolphins, the difficult mud conditions, and having to deal with two simultaneous mass strandings,” said Lauren Cooley, IFAW Stranding Biologist.
One of the dolphins had died on scene because of trauma associated from the event, the other dolphins were successfully rescued and transported for release back into deeper waters off the coast of Provincetown.
This rescue mission was made possible thanks to the efforts of 45 individuals, including 15 AmeriCorps members along with IFAW staff and volunteers.
WBZ NewsRadio's Jay Willett (@JayWillettWBZ) reports.
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