A young bottlenose dolphin that became stranded in a secluded New Jersey creek has died during an intense rescue operation involving more than two dozen responders, according to officials.
The 6-foot dolphin had ventured into Riggins Ditch, a narrow waterway off the Delaware Bay in Cumberland County, and remained trapped there for nearly a week. The Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) was alerted to its presence on June 5 and began monitoring the situation while coordinating a complex rescue.
On Thursday morning, with tidal and weather conditions finally in their favor, teams from multiple agencies launched a coordinated effort using six boats. The plan was to gently guide the dolphin out of the creek and back into open waters without physical intervention. But after repeated attempts to encourage the dolphin to swim out on its own failed, rescuers made the call to proceed with a hands-on in-water capture.
Using boats and a strategically placed net, the team was able to corral the dolphin, secure it in a marine stretcher, and lift it from the water using a tractor with a forklift attachment. But as the dolphin was being transferred to a transport vehicle on a nearby bridge, it suddenly stopped breathing.
Staff from the stranding center, along with their veterinarian, immediately tried to revive the animal, but were unsuccessful despite a valiant effort. A necropsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.
“Our team is deeply saddened by the loss of this dolphin, as well as the loss of the dolphin that stranded in Brigantine earlier in the week. Both cases, despite ending tragically, brought out the best of humanity with first responders and Good Samaritans tirelessly working side by side with our team to do what they could to help these beautiful dolphins. The selflessness shown by the community who came together for the love of these two dolphins was moving,” MMSC said via a press release.
This marks the second dolphin death handled by the center this weekâanother dolphin found stranded in Brigantine on Tuesday had to be euthanized after efforts to save it failed.
Due to the remote location of Riggins Ditch, the nearest launch site for boats was nearly 10 miles away across the bay, complicating the logistics of the operation. Rescuers also had to wait several days for the right combination of tide, wind, and weather conditions to attempt the rescue safely.
Despite the outcome, the Marine Mammal Stranding Center praised the dedication of everyone involved and reiterated the risks and challenges that come with wildlife rescue efforts.
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