TAMPA, Fla. — Scientists are working to unravel the mystery of why an abnormally high number of dolphins have been found stranded or dead in the northern Gulf of Mexico during the first half of 2019.
- Nearly 300 dolphins found stranded or dead, 3x average
- Dolphins were previously exposed to Deepwater Horizon oil spill
- Bay area not seeing problem yet
- More Science stories
For Captain Larry Salkin of Tampa Dolphin Tours, the water is his home away from home.
“We call all of our boats ‘Never-Never Land.’ You know why? Because I never want to be on land,” said Salkin.
And if the water is his home, the dolphins are his neighbors.
“I am as excited each and every time I see them every day,” said Salkin.
Salkin does see dolphins every day, even if it’s just a few.
But in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, it’s a different story.
“This is the Texas-Louisiana border here and over here is the Florida panhandle, and the dots are showing you where the strandings have occurred so far in this unusual mortality event,” said Dr. Erin Fougeres, marine mammal stranding program administrator for NOAA Fisheries.
According to Fougeres, nearly 300 dolphins have been found stranded or dead in the northern Gulf since February, more than three times the average.
“Twenty-three percent of the animals we are seeing have fresh water skin lesions, so that is one factor that we’re looking into," Fougeres explains. "It’s also a group of dolphins that were exposed to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, so those animals do have lingering health issues."
Fougeres and her team say it’s too soon to say for sure why these dolphins are dying, or what we can do to stop it. She added it could take months or even years to get those answers.
So far, the Tampa Bay Area hasn’t seen a problem. But Salkin says all dolphins matter to him, and he’s reporting anything unusual he sees while out on the water to scientists.
“I love these animals," he said. "I love sharing my day with them and sharing them with visitors and locals, so I just want to know what’s going on with them, too."
If you find a stranded animal, you are asked to call 1-877-WHALE-HELP so scientists can try to save it or try to figure out what killed it.