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129 Dolphins Have Beached Themselves On Cape Cod And No One Knows Why

By

John Del Signore

Published Feb 6, 2012

Modified Feb 6, 2012

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IFAW rescuers respond to nine dolphins stranded in Brewster, Mass., on Feb. 1. All nine were able to get back out to sea.

 

Michael Booth/IFAW

By

John Del Signore

Published Feb 6, 2012

Modified Feb 6, 2012

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More dolphins have beached themselves on the shores of Cape Cod in the past three weeks than typically beach in an entire year, and marine biologists have no idea why. This is the "single largest stranding" of dolphins in the Northeast since at least 1999, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and rescuers anticipate more to come. Interestingly, this is happening just as Congress is poised to cut funding for stranding response teams nationwide. "If scientists do not have the funds to determine the cause of a mass mortality event, there could be a threat to public health without anyone knowing," the IFAW warned Congress last week. Here's an MSNBC news video segment from the dolphin-clogged beaches of Cape Cod:

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John Del Signore

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Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.

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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

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