BREWSTER – Cape Wide News has learned from emergency radio transmissions that a large number of dolphins stranded in the area of First Light Beach in Brewster around 6 AM Monday. Officials believed there may have been as many as two dozen dolphins stuck. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) was notified and volunteers were rushing to the scene.
Statement from IFAW: We had 28-30 bottlenose dolphins strand and refloat with the incoming tide at First Encounter Beach in Eastham, MA. Initial reports were around 5:30am this morning. An additional 5-6 of the dolphins died prior to our arrival. IFAW’s marine mammal rescue experts remain in the area to monitor and herd the animals away from shore before the next low tide (5:13pm).
The area within the “crook” of Wellfleet/Eastham is a world recognized hotspot for mass stranding events due to its extreme tidal fluctuations and the shallow flats thanks to Cape Cod’s unique geography. Similar to a person in a car accident, dolphins can become injured and exhausted by a stranding event and should never be pushed or dragged back into the water. Rescue experts can be contacted through our IFAW Stranding Hotline.
