Overview
- The mass stranding, which began Monday, July 13, involved roughly 28–34 bottlenose dolphins at First Encounter Beach in Eastham and left five to six dead before responders arrived.
- On Tuesday responders located 19 live dolphins across a nine-mile stretch from Brewster to Wellfleet and all refloated with the rising tide.
- IFAW teams, local volunteers, boats and drones have been guiding groups, fitting at least two dolphins with satellite tags to follow their movements, and staying on-scene to coax animals out of shallow bays before low tides.
- Refloating an animal does not guarantee survival so teams are using satellite tracking and continued monitoring to watch for re‑strandings and assess long‑term outcomes.
- The Cape’s inner hook around Wellfleet and Eastham creates broad, shallow flats and large tidal swings that can trap dolphins, and officials urge people to keep distance, secure pets, and call the IFAW stranding hotline instead of trying to intervene.