Dear Colleagues, We would like provide you with a brief update regarding the protracted mass stranding event of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) along the shores of Cape Cod, MA USA. Many of you have likely seen some of the news coverage of this event. We wanted to provide you with information directly from the lead response team. The event began on 12 January 2012 and lasted for 36 days, with the last animal found on 16 February 2012. We have not had live animal strandings since 14 Feb. and have not had any reports of dead animals since 16 Feb. Here is where the tally currently stands: Total number of common dolphins: 179 Found alive: 71 Found dead: 108 - Of the 71 dolphins found alive by staff and volunteers: - 53 successfully released - 3 released and re-stranded - 11 died - 4 humanely euthanized Complete health assessments were conducted on all live stranded animals including physical exams, heart rate and resp. rate, CBC and chemistry. Select animals also received advanced diagnostics such as ultrasound exams. Those animals deemed healthy enough were released. Most were transported over land to open ocean facing beaches to reduce the likelihood of re-stranding. Due to logistical constraints, ten animals at the end of the event were released from the stranding site and herded offshore to deeper water. Satellite tags were deployed on 11 animals. Tag data indicate that the dolphins are utilizing known habitat within this region. Necropsies have been completed on 9 of the animals for which time of death was known. Several animals remain in the freezer pending necropsy. A minimum of Level A (basic data and samples) were collected from all stranded animals. Every reported animal (all 179) was examined. There have been no consistent pathologies noted in the live or deceased dolphins. Although lab results are still pending for many analyses, there is no indication at this time to suggest any one cause for this event. Pending analyses include, but are not limited to: histopathology, microbiology, virology, etc. Furthermore, there is no evidence suggesting that acoustic trauma is a cause for this event. Working with NOAA and the US Navy, we have confirmed that the only activity on the east coast of the US during this time frame took place off the mid-Atlantic and SE Atlantic coasts and did not involve active sonar. The nearest activity was in Virginia, too far away to have affected these animals within Cape Cod Bay. Also, if we approach this logically: if activity off the mid-Atlantic were causing this event, we would also see similar mass strandings stretching along the coastline between Cape Cod and the mid-Atlantic, but, we are not. I have spoken with other regional Stranding network members, and no above average numbers of common dolphin strandings have been documented. We are still seeking information regarding the possibility of other industrial activities off the coast of Massachusetts during this period. Of significant note, however, are other changes in the greater Gulf of Maine ecosystem as noted by other researchers. We are attempting to compile environmental (physical and chemical oceanographic data) as well as biological data to analyze for possible correlations to this event. For more info and links to some of the media reports, please go to www.ifaw.org <http://www.ifaw.org> , and http://www.ifaw.org/us/our-work/animal-rescue/marine-mammal-rescue-and-r esearch <http://www.ifaw.org/us/our-work/animal-rescue/marine-mammal-rescue-and- research> . Kind regards, Katie Moore Katie Moore | Manager | Marine Mammal Rescue and Research ___________________________________________________________ IFAW - International Fund for Animal Welfare World Headquarters 290 Summer Street - Yarmouth Port, MA 02675 tel. 1.508.744.2000 email. rescue@ifaw.org <mailto:rescue@ifaw.org> Saving Animals in Crisis Around the World www.ifaw.org <http://www.ifaw.org/> The content of this email is intended only for the use of the above-named addressee and may contain information that is confidential, proprietary, and/or legally privileged. Please notify the sender if you received this email in error.