Boat Strike Caused Death of Baby Dolphin Found in Sea Isle City

A dead baby dolphin found on the 52nd Street beach in Sea Isle City on Friday had been hit by a boat, staff from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine said Saturday.

The bottlenose dolphin, described as a newborn, was found just before 7:30 p.m., according to a statement from the center. A city resident found the dolphin and called authorities.

A full necropsy and pathology study on the dolphin will be performed at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center, but MMSC staff determined it had been fatally hit by a boat as evidenced by "multiple propeller wounds on the animal's body," the statement said.

"These dolphins are not quick enough to avoid boaters, and this dolphin is one of six dead newborn bottlenose dolphins that have washed up in New Jersey so far this year," said Sarah Miele, MMSC's education coordinator.

The Sea Isle City dolphin is the only one of those six where a boat strike has been confirmed, however, Miele said.

The body of the latest dolphin to be found will shipped to the New Bolton Center Sunday morning along with two others so necropsies can be performed.

Anyone looking for more information on marine mammal strandings can find out more at the MMSC's website.