Crews worked for a second consecutive day to rescue nearly 50 bottlenose dolphins stranded along Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in what the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) describes as the largest known dolphin stranding in the state's history.

Reports first circulated around 5:30 a.m. on Monday, July 14, 2026, indicating that 28 to 30 bottlenose dolphins were stranded at First Encounter Beach in Eastham, Massachusetts. According to IFAW, the dolphins refloated with the incoming tide, though an additional five to six animals died before rescue teams arrived.

By Tuesday, the number of stranded dolphins found across three locations along a nine-mile stretch of coastline increased to 19. Two of these dolphins have been fitted with satellite tags to monitor their movements and determine if separated groups reunite, said Brian Sharp, program director for Marine Mammal Rescue at IFAW.

Bottlenose dolphins are typically offshore species, but IFAW has observed an increasing trend of these animals appearing closer to Cape Cod’s shores in recent years.

"These animals are in decent condition," IFAW reported, adding that rescue teams continue to monitor and coax the dolphins out of Wellfleet Bay to improve their chances of survival. The next low tide was expected around 6 p.m. on July 14.

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