First patient of Dolphin Rescue Center successfully admitted and released

(Orleans, MA – March 25th, 2024) - A first-of-its kind short-term rehabilitation facility for dolphins and porpoises received and successfully released its first patient, following a report of a stranded dolphin in Brewster, Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

After this dolphin stranded, IFAW transported the at-risk animal in its mobile dolphin rescue vehicle to the organization’s Dolphin Rescue Center to increase its chance of survival prior to releasing it back into the wild. After less than 24 hours at the Center, it was transported to Herring Cove, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where it was successfully released back to the water fitted with a small temporary satellite tag.

“This is a major innovative step forward for our program that will advance and inform marine mammal rescue efforts globally,” said Brian Sharp, Director of IFAW’s marine mammal rescue team. “This facility fills a critical unmet need on the Cape where our team responds to an average of 70 live dolphins per year.”

After receiving a report on Sunday morning of a live dolphin being stuck and thrashing in the surf on a beach in Brewster in Cape Cod, the IFAW team rushed in and safely secured the animal. Due to poor release conditions from bad weather and the animal’s compromised health from the stranding event, the team transported the dolphin and admitted it to the Dolphin Rescue Center.

During its short stay at the center, the animal received around-the-clock care from IFAW’s team of veterinary experts, rescue staff, and volunteer responders who continuously monitored the animal, and reassessed its health based on diagnostics including serial blood work and ultrasound. Animals are only held as long as their clinical signs indicate that they are not releasable with a maximum time of four days in the center.

“For this dolphin, additional care was the only way for the animal to have a chance at survival,” said Dr. Sarah Sharp, IFAW’s animal rescue veterinarian. “He was suffering from shock, seawater aspiration, and trauma from the stranding event, but responded well to supportive care and treatments the team provided.”

The Dolphin Rescue Center seeks to improve post-release survival for live stranded small cetaceans suffering from acute conditions. Through the advanced diagnostics and extended care provided, work at the center will help to inform treatment protocols and disposition decisions for stranded dolphins across the globe. The center will also provide training to regional, national and international responders as part of IFAW’s Academy of Rescue & Conservation.  

The Dolphin Rescue Center was made possible in part by generous contributions from the Dutch Post Code Lottery the Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital, the prestigious Prescott Grant, Ian Webb, and Michael Rosenzweig.

Wildlife rescue and conservation organization IFAW has become internationally recognized for its dolphin rescue and research expertise with its marine mammal rescue team celebrating their 25-year anniversary in November 2023. During that time span, IFAW responded to over 7,000 stranding events.

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Notes to editors:

• The center is located at: 115 Route 6A, Orleans MA, 02653 on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.  
• The Dolphin Rescue Center became operational in late 2023.
• IFAW has been federally permitted under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to respond to stranded marine mammals on the Cape for 25 years
• IFAW responds to an average of 70 live stranded dolphins and porpoises per year, and approximately 30% of those cases would benefit from additional care at the Dolphin Rescue Center
• The Dolphin Rescue Center can be ready to provide care within 15 minutes of a stranding event.  Following federal guidance for a short-term rehabilitation facility and ensuring IFAW can meet the frequency of demand in the region, stranded animals will be accommodated for up to four days in the facility. 
• Size of the space: The entire space is 4200 sq ft. The rehabilitation area is 1800 sq ft and will contain two 15-16 ft diameter treatment pools and accompanying filtration systems to accommodate stranded dolphins. The pools will each hold up to 4,500 gallons of water. A 335 sq ft veterinary laboratory will be used for diagnostics and water quality testing. The entrance includes a 300 sq ft education and outreach center that will tell the story of strandings on Cape Cod, what we learn from strandings and will have a monitor that has a live feed to the rehab pools when patients are in-house. The remaining area will be used for patient food prep, offices and equipment storage.       

Press Contact:

Aaron Teitelbaum
Communications Manager, Marine Conservation & Rescue
Washington, DC 20002
m: +1 202-677-2670
e: ateitelbaum@ifaw.org