Two Risso’s dolphins rescued and released off Provincetown

(Cape Cod, MA – December 20, 2023) – A full day effort of two separate Risso’s dolphin strandings ended with the successful release of both dolphins off of Provincetown, MA at Herring Cove Beach.

IFAW responded to two separate calls of stranded Risso’s dolphins in Cape Cod, MA.

“Our mobile dolphin rescue vehicle was custom-built to respond to complicated stranding events like this,” said Misty Niemeyer, Stranding Coordinator – Marine Mammal Rescue at IFAW. “We were able to address both stranding events simultaneously leading to the successful release of both animals.”

The first call to IFAW’s stranding hotline came late Monday night with reports of a Risso’s dolphin stranded at Ryder’s Beach in Truro, but response was not safe after dark. IFAW’s marine mammal rescue team responders reached the site early in the morning the following day and found the animal alive.

The adult female Risso’s dolphin, estimated to be about 700lbs, required more than thirty responders including IFAW veterinarians, staff, and volunteers, as well as assistance from the Cape Cod National Seashore, Center for Coastal Studies and AmeriCorps Cape Cod, to move the animal into IFAW’s one-of-a-kind mobile dolphin rescue vehicle for transportation to a deeper water release site.

While responders were rescuing the adult dolphin, a second call to IFAW’s stranding hotline came through about a possible stranding of a Risso’s dolphin calf in Provincetown, a few miles away. While the Truro female was loaded in the mobile dolphin rescue vehicle, the team proceeded to Provincetown to find the calf stranded alone. The calf was transported to the mobile dolphin rescue vehicle to join the other animal.

While underway to the release site at Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown, responders were able to conduct diagnostic health tests and treatments on the animals and determined that while both animals were stressed from the stranding event, they were healthy enough to be released. Both animals were fitted with temporary satellite tags that enable the team to continue to track their movements at sea.

IFAW’s marine mammal rescue team recently marked its 25-year anniversary and has responded to over 7,000 strandings in that time.

For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:  

Katie Arberg
Communications Manager, U.S.
+1 703 307 1969
karberg@ifaw.org