At least 20 dolphins found dead in Cape Cod area

[alp227]

At least 20 dolphins have died after washing up near several Cape Cod towns, an International Fund for Animal Welfare spokeswoman said Monday.

Between 40 and 50 common and Atlantic white-sided dolphins have been found stranded close to the shore since Thursday, and that the number will likely rise, said IFAW spokeswoman Kerry Branon. Some animals were released Monday near Provincetown, bringing the total number of animals saved to 19.

"It may not sound like a high success rate, but when you consider that 27 were alive when they washed up, I think we're doing pretty well." The remaining eight that were stranded alive died.

full: http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/16/us/massachusetts-dead-dolphins/index.html

[Swamp Lover]

1. Sounds strange.

But 20 llamas would be stranger.

[MADem]

2. They think it is a pack mentality thing--like lemmings, if you will

http://www.boston.com/Boston/metrodesk/2012/01/close-dolphins-have-been-stranded-cape-cod-beaches-last-five-days/7KDuhXKmqEeaj4jldmg3AP/index.html

WELLFLEET -- Up to fifty dolphins have been stranded on Cape Cod beaches since last Thursday, one of the largest strandings in recent years.

“I’ve been doing this for 15 years and this is only the second season I’ve seen it like this,” said Katie Moore, manager of the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s Marine Mammal Rescue and Research Program, a Yarmouth Port group that oversees the rescues.

Today, six Common Dolphins found stranded in Wellfleet were successfully released off Herring Cove. One was pregnant, according to a sonogram taken by rescue group. Members of the animal welfare fund watched them swim away amid cheering and clapping from about 30 onlookers...

Dolphin strandings on the Cape are common from January through March but it’s rare to see mass strandings, where two or more dolphins are stuck on shore, several days in a row...

There's more at the link.