8 Dolphins Dead in ‘Mass Stranding Event’ on New Jersey Beach, Local Officials Confirm

The pod of eight dolphins ultimately died after washing ashore in the New Jersey area. Of the eight, six were euthanized due to their grave conditions.

March 22, 2023

Eight dolphins are dead following what local officials in New Jersey are calling a “mass stranding event.”

For now, questions remain as to what caused the event, which comes amid concerns from locals regarding offshore wind farm construction. Per a report from the Asbury Park Press, however, the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters have urged the public to consider “data, science, and evidence—not conjecture.”

As for the dolphins in question, the Marine Mammal Stranding Center said Tuesday that two out of a pod of eight died shortly after being found on a beach between 50th and 52nd in the Sea Isle City area. The other six were ultimately euthanized after it was determined that this was the more humane option given their grave conditions. The dolphins were later taken to a state laboratory for autopsies.

“We share in the public’s sorrow for these beautiful animals, and hope that the necropsies will help us understand the reason for their stranding,” a Marine Mammal Stranding Center rep said.

This latest incident follows a report of two stranded dolphins in the Sandy Hook Bay area earlier this month. In that case, an adult and a calf were ultimately confirmed to have died.

The organization has been consistently transparent regarding its work in connection with such stranding incidents, as well as subsequent testing and other facets of its response strategy. Read more here, including information on prior stranding events involving dolphins and whales in the region.