Photo provided by IFAW, dolphin Stranding on Cape Cod beach November 9th 2024.
HYANNIS – Cape Cod has shattered every annual record for dolphin strandings this year.
Following a rescue involving 10 dolphins over the weekend, the International Fund for Animal Welfare has reported 310 live dolphin responses in 2024.
The annual average of live stranding cases a year was 67, meaning this year has seen an almost 5 times increase, says team lead and senior biologist, Brian Sharp.
“We had a couple weeks when the team was starting to catch its breath, then right back into it,” said Sharp.
“We know from talking with fishermen, fisheries biologists and whale watchers. They’re seeing prey resource, fish that these dolphins eat, in closer to shore and in higher numbers than they’ve ever seen before. And that’s attracting dolphins.”
146 of this year’s strandings were in one event over the summer that broke national records.
For more on the recent stranding that impacted five different Cape Cod towns over the weekend and into this week, click here.
A total of ten dolphins were rescued, while six deaths were counted.
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