Trapped dolphin swimming in New Jersey creek dies during ‘high-risk’ rescue attempt

UPDATE, MAY 26, 2024: The dolphin died during a last-ditch rescue attempt, the Marine Mammal Stranding Center said in a news release on May 24. Several attempts were made to lead the dolphin to open water without capturing it, but those failed, rescuers said. As a last resort, teams made a “high-risk” rescue attempt by deploying a net. “Unfortunately, once inside the net, the dolphin immediately panicked and expired within two minutes,” the center said.

The original story is below.

A dolphin was seen swimming in a New Jersey creek, officials said.

And now residents are growing worried.

“I can’t help myself. I’m out here three to four times a day just to make sure he’s OK. I feel bad for the little guy. He shouldn’t be trapped in the little creek,” Cape May County resident William Drury told WPVI.

The saga began on May 16 when witnesses called the Marine Mammal Stranding Center’s stranding hotline to report the bottlenose dolphin, according to a May 21 Facebook post.

Then on May 18, center crew members took boats out to the creek to try to “encourage” the animal to leave the area but they weren’t successful, officials said.

Although the center hasn’t revealed concrete plans to remove the dolphin, officials said they’re working with “Stranding Network partners out of state” to get specialized equipment.

“I just sit here for hours every day. It’s sad. There’s not gonna be enough food for it eventually, obviously not enough room for it,” resident Alexa Anaya told WPVI.

The center said it has another rescue attempt planned for later in the week but didn’t provide a date, officials said.

As for concerns about the dolphin’s health, officials said salinity levels aren’t a worry because of the influx of saltwater into the creek, the center said.

The center reminded the public to “not approach” the animal as dolphins are federally protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and any human involvement could lead to increased stress, officials said.

Cape May County is about a 70-mile drive southeast from Philadelphia.

This story was originally published May 22, 2024 at 12:18 PM with the headline "Trapped dolphin swimming in New Jersey creek dies during ‘high-risk’ rescue attempt."