A bottlenose dolphin trapped in a New Jersey creek for more than a week has died following a “last resort” rescue effort.
The dolphin was first reported in the Skeeter Island Creek in Cape May on May 16.
An initial effort to herd the creature out of the creek using three boats and specialized equipment was unsuccessful, according to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center.
The group made one final attempt to help the dolphin back out to sea on Friday morning, the center posted on Facebook.
After initially trying to avoid physical capture and handling, which posed serious risk to the dolphin and the rescuers, the crew attempted an in-water capture by deploying a net into the creek.
“Unfortunately, once inside the net, the dolphin immediately panicked and expired within two minutes,” the center wrote on Facebook. “Our entire team is deeply saddened about this outcome.”
“Out-of-habitat cetaceans are the most difficult scenario in marine mammal rescue. As animals that live in the open ocean, this type of habitat is foreign to them and causes immense stress, making the chances of rescue and survival slim.”
The dolphin’s carcass was transferred to the New Jersey Animal Health and Diagnostic Lab, where it will undergo a full necropsy, the officials added.
With Post wires
