Tuesday, March 15, 2022
(Virginia Beach, VA) – As of this afternoon, the Virginia Aquarium’s Stranding Response Team has taken nearly a dozen phone calls for common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) sightings and strandings in the last three days. The dolphins have been seen between Fort Story and up the Bay side of the Eastern Shore, as far north as Harborton and as far south as Fisherman Island. Common dolphins are an offshore species and are not typically found in shallow inshore waters.
Since Sunday, the Aquarium’s Stranding team identified four live common dolphins that stranded in shallow creeks, five dead dolphins that stranded on shore, and a group of approximately ten dolphins moving freely in a shallow creek. The team hoped the live dolphins would navigate back to deeper water on their own. The dolphins’ activity has been monitored and two dolphins re-stranded this morning and the team dispatched to respond.
One dolphin was found with a severe wound on its flank while the other dolphins had no obvious sign of injury or illness. Dolphin necropsies will be conducted by the Virginia Aquarium Response Team to collect samples for information on cause of stranding, and other research studies. Aquarium biologists believe the deaths are from biological causes and not human interactions, however, there is not an obvious cause for the event at this time. This is an ongoing investigation and additional analyses will be conducted over the next several months.
Please report stranded marine mammal and sea turtle sightings immediately to the Virginia Aquarium’s Stranding Response hotline at 757-385-7575 with the exact location. Do not approach stranded animals and keep a safe distance of at least 50 yards from the animal.
The Virginia Aquarium’s Stranding Response Program is largely a volunteer-based group supported by the Virginia Aquarium Foundation through donations from the community and grant-making organizations.
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. The Aquarium is also a member of World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The Virginia Aquarium's mission is to inspire conservation of the marine environment through education, research, and sustainable practices. It is located at 717 General Booth Boulevard, just south of Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach. Visit www.VirginiaAquarium.com for more information.
The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, supports the work of the Virginia Aquarium. The Foundation procures and maintains the Aquarium's exhibits, including the animals and habitats. It is also responsible for annual and capital fundraising, administration and funding for the Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Program, conservation and scientific research efforts, and the Aquarium's mission-related education programs. You can be a part of our mission by making a tax-deductible donation to support our programming.
