Members of Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) attempted underwater electronic pinging on Aug. 7 to guide the bottlenose dolphin that found a bit of shelter in the South River last week toward the ocean. Despite rescue efforts, the dolphin died on Aug. 8. KATHY CHANG/STAFF OLD BRIDGE — Sightings of the bottlenose dolphin that found a bit of shelter in the South River last week provided plenty of thrills for area residents.
There were many reactions from the crowds of excited onlookers. A young boy, of 8, exclaimed excitedly that he had never seen a live dolphin before except for a trip to SeaWorld Park in Orlando, Fla.
Another woman jumped and yelped at the sight of the dolphin, that suddenly popped its head and fin out of the river. She apologized to the people standing next to her, explaining that she had never seen a dolphin before.
Despite several rescue attempts by Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) staff to guide the mammal — by boats as well as underwater electronic pinging — toward the ocean, the dolphin appeared to have gotten stuck in shallow waters along the shoreline and died on Aug. 8.
“The dolphin appeared to be swimming back out of the river going toward the direction of the bay early [Saturday] morning,” according to a statement from the Brigantine-based MMSC.
“Volunteers followed the dolphin from a distance watching it swim. The person following the dolphin along the shoreline saw the dolphin swim into the shallow [water] on the other side of the river.”
The volunteers notified MMSC staff members, who were on scene within minutes.
“The dolphin was having seizures and was struggling to breathe when they arrived,” according to MMSC. “Despite their efforts to float the animal, it had no energy left to swim and so they carried it back to our dolphin transport truck where it died.”
MMSC estimated the dolphin, who they noted was “terribly emaciated”, was over nine feet long and weighed about 400 pounds.
The staff and volunteers at MMSC thanked members of the public who followed and supported their efforts. They also thanked the local fire companies, police and state and federal employees who helped.
“We wish it could have been a happier ending, but hope that people are now more aware of the diversity and fragility of marine life in our state,” the statement said.
First spotted on Aug. 3, the dolphin became the main attraction for hundreds of onlookers throughout the week along the Old Matawan Road bridge near the Old Bridge-East Brunswick border.
Many onlookers whipped out their camera phones taking photos and video of the mammal rarely seen in the river.
Every few minutes, the dolphin would pop its head and fin out of the water drawing “oohs” and “aahs” from the crowd.
Bob Schoelkopf, MMSC director, said on Aug. 7, that he was worried the older dolphin would become grounded in the shallow waters of the river, where it had taken refuge.
“It is scarred pretty badly and may have been ostracized by its pod and found the river to be a quiet place,” he said.
State veterinary pathologists are expected to conduct a necropsy.
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