IFAW Studying if Bacteria is Causing Dolphin Deaths

Rescuers work to save a dolphin stranded on Cape Cod.
IFAW Photo/Kerry Branon

YARMOUTH PORT – International Fund for Animal Welfare researchers are studying to see if a bacteria found among some of the stranded dolphins on Cape Cod is causing an unusual amount of deaths this year.

The bacteria Brucella can cause infections in the marine mammals.

“Because we have seen animals that have come in in a kind of, essentially, reduced nutritional state we want to investigate that and see if that is a possibility,” said Brian Sharp, the marine mammal rescue and research manager for the Yarmouth Port based IFAW. “And see if that is one of things that is affecting the survivability of these animals.”

Sharp said the process of testing samples and getting the results of necropsies can take weeks.

The bacteria is found naturally in the environment.

“One of the things we are trying to figure out is how much of this is normal to these dolphin populations and is it something that is abnormal,” Sharp said.

More than 170 dolphins have stranded in the region since the beginning of the year.

“It’s been about four days since we have had a live animal, but we are getting reports of fresh dead animals as people are out on the beach,” Sharp said.

Sharp said researchers will need to continue to conduct necropsies and receive data from tested samples to rule out other factors and determine if the bacteria is causing deaths.

An epidemiologist has come in to collaborate with researchers.

When beach visitors do see live of dead animals stranded on the beach they should contact IFAW immediately.

“That way we can mount a response to the live animals but also to collect information on the dead animals because that helps inform our efforts and helps us get a grasp on how big this event is,” Sharp said.