Rescued dolphin released back into sea
A short-term rehabilitation facility for dolphins and porpoises on Cape Cod treated its first animal on Sunday, a dolphin found stranded in Brewster that was released back into the ocean on Monday.
A rescue team went to Brewster on Sunday morning after receiving a report that a dolphin was “stuck and thrashing in the surf on a beach,” the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s Dolphin Rescue Center said in a statement.
“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 rescue center, officials said. “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.”
Located in Orleans, the rescue center opened late last year. The dolphin was treated at the center for less than 24 hours and then was taken to Herring Cove Beach in Provincetown, where it was released, officials said.
Dr. Sarah Sharp, the group’s animal rescue veterinarian, said the dolphin responded well to the care it received.
“For this dolphin, additional care was the only way for the animal to have a chance at survival,” Sharp said in a statement. “He was suffering from shock, seawater aspiration, and trauma from the stranding event, but responded well to supportive care and treatments.”
Brian Sharp, director of IFAW’s marine mammal rescue team, lauded the successful release of the center’s first patient.
“This is a major innovative step forward for our program that will advance and inform marine mammal rescue efforts globally,” Sharp said. “This facility fills a critical unmet need on the Cape where our team responds to an average of 70 live dolphins per year.”