Current:Home > StocksAlgosensey Quantitative Think Tank Center-Young dolphin that had just learned to live without its mother found dead on New Hampshire shore -×
Algosensey Quantitative Think Tank Center-Young dolphin that had just learned to live without its mother found dead on New Hampshire shore
Robert Brown View
Date:2025-04-09 11:25:06
A young dolphin belonging to a species that typically resides in the deep waters of the tropics was found dead on a beach in New Hampshire. Rescuers said the dolphin was so young that it had only recently weaned from nursing from its mother.
The animal was a striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba, and was found on July 14. According to NOAA, striped dolphins "are among the most abundant and widespread dolphins in the world," but usually live in ocean waters in tropical to temperate regions. In the U.S., they are typically found along the West Coast, but they are known to go beyond their normal ranges.
The Seacoast Science Center's Marine Mammal Rescue group said the animals "are not considered resident species" of New England, although they will "occasionally" be seen along the New Hampshire coast in the summer. Seeing them, however, is "uncommon."
**Marine Mammal Rescue field updates**Last Friday July 14th, our team responded to a very unique case: a striped...
Posted by SSC Marine Mammal Rescue on Friday, July 21, 2023
"Since we began responding in 2014, our rescue team has never before seen this species of dolphin," the group said. "The striped dolphin was a female weanling (newly independent from its mother) that stranded freshly deceased on Hampton Beach."
Striped dolphins typically nurse their young between a year and 18 months as their calves learn how to fish and survive on their own, meaning that the young dolphin found on the beach was likely around that age, if not much older.
The cause of the dolphin's death is uncertain.
"Although the dolphin had no visible external wounds initially, seagulls had unfortunately scavenged its head between the time of the report and our response," responders said. "Our team collected on-site swabs for disease surveillance, and transported the dolphin immediately to New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for a necropsy to help determine the cause of death."
Striped dolphins can generally live up to 58 years and don't reach maturity until they are at least 5 years old. Although the species is not considered endangered, it does face threats from humans, mostly through entanglements. NOAA says that the animals can easily become entangled or captured in commercial fishing gear.
Pollution is also a risk, as environmental toxins and contaminants weaken the species' immunity, NOAA says. More than 1,000 of the animals died in the Mediterranean Sea in the early 1900s due to this, after the highly contagious and lethal morbillivirus epizootic swept across the species. It's believed to have been triggered by pollution and fewer available prey, the agency says.
- In:
- New Hampshire
- Oceans
- Dolphin
- Animal Rescue
Li Cohen is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News.
veryGood! (4)
Related
- Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
- Twitter has lost 50 of its top 100 advertisers since Elon Musk took over, report says
- Elon Musk allows Donald Trump back on Twitter
- Twitter's chaos could make political violence worse outside of the U.S.
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- How to avoid sharing false or misleading news about the election
- Shaquille O’Neal Shares Reason Behind Hospitalization
- See Bella Hadid Celebrate 5-Month Sobriety Milestone
- Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
- Election software CEO is charged with allegedly giving Chinese contractors data access
Ranking
- Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
- AFP journalist Arman Soldin killed by rocket fire in Ukraine
- Arrests on King Charles' coronation day amid protests draw call for urgent clarity from London mayor
- Elon Musk says Twitter restored Ye's account without his knowledge before acquisition
- IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
- Tunisia synagogue shooting on Djerba island leaves 5 dead amid Jewish pilgrimage to Ghriba
- Canada wildfires force evacuation of 30,000 in scorched Alberta
- Elon Musk targets impersonators on Twitter after celebrities troll him
Recommendation
Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
Ulta 24-Hour Flash Sale: Take 50% Off Origins, Live Tinted, Foreo, Jaclyn Cosmetics, and More
Aries Shoppable Horoscope: 10 Birthday Gifts Aries Will Love Even More Than Impulsive Decision-Making
It seems like everyone wants an axolotl since the salamander was added to Minecraft
What to know about Tuesday’s US House primaries to replace Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz
Kourtney Kardashian Reveals the Secrets Behind Her Guns N' Roses-Inspired Wedding Dress
These are some of the Twitter features users want now that Elon Musk owns it
These Are the 10 Best Strapless Bras for Every Bust Size, According to Reviewers