Have there been successful mass rescues of cetaceans?

Images of mass cetacean strandings strike public opinion: dozens, sometimes hundreds of dolphins or pilot whales immobilised on the sand, dragged by the waves. One might think such situations are always lost in advance. Yet the statistics tell a far more nuanced story: yes, mass rescues often succeed, sometimes with striking survival rates, provided the response is quick, organised and properly supervised.

Cape Cod 2024: the record rescue in the United States

The most striking event of recent years took place in June 2024 at Cape Cod, Massachusetts. 146 Atlantic white-sided dolphins stranded simultaneously, the largest mass stranding of dolphins ever documented in the United States. The response matched it: more than 150 people mobilised for 12 hours, coordinated by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

The outcome: 102 of the 146 dolphins were saved, a success rate of 70%. An extraordinary figure given the scale of the situation, but not a matter of chance. IFAW has seen its successful release rate rise from 15% in 1998 to nearly 80% today, thanks to decades of improvement in technique.

Île de Ré 2024: 94% success in France

In France, the Île de Ré saw an exemplary rescue in September 2024: 17 stranded common bottlenose dolphins, 16 of which were successfully returned to the sea, a rate of 94%. The operation lasted only three hours, showing that speed of response is the decisive factor. Out of the water, a cetacean’s survival is compromised beyond about six hours, as the weight of its body crushes its internal organs and dehydration worsens rapidly.

A month later, in November 2024 in New Zealand, another spectacular stranding of long-finned pilot whales (the “pilot dolphins”) occurred on an isolated beach. More than 30 individuals were returned to the sea, a 90% success rate. Over the decades New Zealand has built up a genuine rescue culture: hundreds of trained volunteers arrive within a few hours, supervised by local organisations such as Project Jonah.

The ingredients of a successful rescue

Three factors determine the success of an operation. The first, speed of intervention: every minute counts in assessing the animals, keeping them hydrated (dousing them with seawater, never fresh water), covering their delicate skin with wet sheets to prevent sunburn and dehydration, and preparing the refloating for the turn of the tide.

The second is technical expertise. Handling a cetacean is no small matter: the weight has to be supported correctly (out of the water the weight of the body crushes the organs), injuries have to be avoided, the signs of stress have to be recognised, and above all one has to know which animals to release. An individual that is too weak, injured or ill and returns to sea risks stranding again within the following hours, and may take other members of the group with it. Marine veterinarians are trained to make these difficult decisions.

The third factor is collective mobilisation. A stranding of 146 dolphins cannot be handled by a handful of responders. It takes dozens, sometimes hundreds of pairs of hands, coordinated by a clear chain of command. Successful operations always involve a mix of professionals (veterinarians, scientists, state officials) and local volunteers briefed beforehand.

What to do if you are a witness?

If you come across a stranded cetacean, alive or dead, the first thing to do is to alert the Réseau National Échouage (RNE), the French stranding network, coordinated by the CNRS Observatoire Pelagis in La Rochelle. The number to call is 05 46 44 99 10 for mainland France. Above all: do not try to return the animal to the water on your own. Without veterinary expertise, you risk injuring the animal, injuring yourself, and putting back to sea a doomed individual that will strand again further along the coast.

While waiting for help to arrive, you can keep onlookers at a distance, gently douse the animal with seawater (not fresh water), cover its skin with a wet sheet without covering the blowhole, and take photographs to help with identification. Every rescue begins with that first step: calling the right numbers.

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