Rescuing Stranded Dolphins on Christmas Day

Posted by Dawn M. Smith Jan 9, 2009

For members of the Cape Cod Stranding Network (CCSN) holiday celebrations being interrupted by marine mammals in trouble are nothing new. I know because I’ve been a volunteer with them for a couple of years now.

Two years ago we spent New Year’s Eve and the following night with stranded dolphins in Cape Cod Bay. In October, during the Columbus Day holiday weekend, Dennis the Manatee kept CCSN busy.

But I’m new. Many of the Stranding Network volunteers have been doing this for years, since the mid-1980s, in fact. Whale and dolphin stranding responses run amazingly smoothly as so many people can simply step in and do what is needed.

On Christmas morning five common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) came ashore. Two died very quickly and a third had to be euthanized as it was in very poor condition. This is, sadly, not an uncommon result in whale and dolphin strandings as their health deteriorates rapidly on land.

But two dolphins swam away. And there was hope that Christmas dinner could still be salvaged for most of the staff and volunteers. Unfortunately, before we even finished dealing with the dead dolphins, a report came in of more animals further up Cape Cod Bay. This time it was 3 Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus). Christmas dinner would have to wait until tomorrow.

By the time the dolphins were assessed and transported to a beach on the ocean side where the risk of them restranding would be much less it was dark. Outfitted in fluorescent vests with glo-sticks around our necks we made our way into the water with the stretchers. The three dolphins swam away. Gear was loaded back into the trucks.

With hugs and good wishes all around, we made our way home, the spirit of Christmas honored.