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CAPE COD (WCVB) -- Only a handful of the approximately 125 dolphins stranded at low tide on Cape Cod on Friday remained in shallow waters Sunday, with all the others successfully returning to deeper water, according to an animal rescue organization.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare called it "the largest single mass stranding event" the agency had faced in over 25 years.
As of Sunday morning, all but five to seven of the animals had moved out of the shallow waters. One of those dolphins was in very poor condition and was euthanized, IFAW said.
"Of the total 125 dolphins that stranded on Friday, we are aware of 13 dying naturally and one euthanized," IFAW spokesperson Stacey Hedman said.
"This is not only important for the welfare of that animal, but also helps us to be more successful in herding the remaining animals out. The very social nature of these dolphins means that they will stick together even in a bad situation. By removing individuals that are not well, the group may be more easily moved offshore," said Katie Moore, deputy vice president of Rescue at IFAW.
On Friday, IFAW sent 25 staff members and 100 volunteers to help the Atlantic White-sided dolphins which were stuck at The Gut or Great Island in Wellfleet, at the Herring River. A spokesperson for the organization described the area as "a very difficult location with dangerous mud."
IFAW said 10 of the dolphins died before their rescue teams arrived.
On Sunday in nearby Brewster, there was a report of about 20 dolphins stranding at about 1 p.m. The animals were part of the larger group that stranded on Friday, according to Brian Sharp, director of IFAW’s Marine Mammal Rescue team.
"Of those 20, three died on their own," Hedman said. "The remainder are swimming safely offshore as (Sunday) evening’s storm rolls in."
On Friday. Sky5 flew overhead and saw the larger group of dolphins, many of whom were covered with towels while members of the rescue team worked. Some were stuck in shallow water. Others were in sandy mud.
"There is no set reason for why these dolphins strand. Cape Cod is a global stranding hot spot due to the curvature of our shores and the fluctuation of our tides," Hedman said.
After Friday's high tide at 4:56 p.m., most of the dolphins seemed to find their way to deeper waters offshore and a dozen or more remained swimming in the inner harbor at sunset Friday night.
