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Rescuers Try to Keep Dozens of Dolphins Away from Cape Cod Shallows after Mass Stranding

A trained volunteer attempts to herd stranded dolphins into deeper waters Friday, June 28, 2024, in Wellfleet, Mass. (Stacey Hedman/IFAW via AP)
A trained volunteer attempts to herd stranded dolphins into deeper waters Friday, June 28, 2024, in Wellfleet, Mass. (Stacey Hedman/IFAW via AP)
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Rescuers Try to Keep Dozens of Dolphins Away from Cape Cod Shallows after Mass Stranding

A trained volunteer attempts to herd stranded dolphins into deeper waters Friday, June 28, 2024, in Wellfleet, Mass. (Stacey Hedman/IFAW via AP)
A trained volunteer attempts to herd stranded dolphins into deeper waters Friday, June 28, 2024, in Wellfleet, Mass. (Stacey Hedman/IFAW via AP)

Animal rescuers were trying to keep dozens of dolphins away from shallow waters around Cape Cod on Saturday after 125 of the creatures stranded themselves a day earlier.
Teams in Massachusetts found one group of 10 Atlantic white-sided dolphins swimming in a dangerously shallow area at dawn on Saturday, and managed to herd them out into deeper water, said the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
Scouts also found a second group of 25 dolphins swimming close to the shore near Eastham, the organization said, with herding efforts there ongoing as the tide dropped throughout the morning.
Ten dolphins died during the stranding Friday at The Gut — or Great Island — in Wellfleet, at the Herring River.
The organization said it was the largest mass-stranding it had dealt with on the Cape during its 26-year history in the area, The Associated Press reported. The Gut is the site of frequent strandings, which experts believe is due in part to its hook-like shape and extreme tidal fluctuations.
Misty Niemeyer, the organization's stranding coordinator, said rescuers faced many challenges Friday including difficult mud conditions and the dolphins being spread out over a large area.
“It was a 12-hour exhausting response in the unrelenting sun, but the team was able to overcome the various challenges and give the dolphins their best chance at survival," Niemeyer said in a statement.
The team started out on foot, herding the creatures into deeper waters and then used three small boats equipped with underwater pingers, according to the organization.
Those helping with the rescue effort include more than 25 staff from the organization and 100 trained volunteers. The group also had the support of Whale and Dolphin Conservation, the Center for Coastal Studies, AmeriCorps of Cape Cod and the New England Aquarium.

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International Fiesta Fills New Mexico's Sky With Colorful Hot Air Balloons

FILE - Nearly 500 balloons begin to take off during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Oct. 7, 2023, in Albuquerque, N.M. (AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales, File)
FILE - Nearly 500 balloons begin to take off during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Oct. 7, 2023, in Albuquerque, N.M. (AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales, File)
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International Fiesta Fills New Mexico's Sky With Colorful Hot Air Balloons

FILE - Nearly 500 balloons begin to take off during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Oct. 7, 2023, in Albuquerque, N.M. (AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales, File)
FILE - Nearly 500 balloons begin to take off during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Oct. 7, 2023, in Albuquerque, N.M. (AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales, File)

One of the most photographed events in the world is set to kick off Saturday with a mass ascension of color for the 52nd annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
The nine-day gathering draws hundreds of thousands of spectators and pilots to New Mexico each fall for the rare opportunity to be within arm’s reach as the giant balloons are unpacked and inflated. Propane burners roar and hundreds of the uniquely shaped balloons speckle the sky with vibrant colors.
Everyone usually bundles up in layers to protect against a morning chill that helps pilots stay in the air longer, but this year’s fiesta could be the warmest on record, organizers say.
Morning lows and afternoon highs are expected to be above average for days in a city that on Monday recorded its hottest temperature this late in the year, at 93 degrees Fahrenheit (33.8 Celsius), according to the National Weather Service.
Globally, things have been trending hotter too. It's likely this year will end up as the warmest humanity has measured, the European climate service Copernicus reported in early September.
While past fiestas have had a warm day here or there, spokesman Tom Garrity said the prediction for prolonged heat is rare, The Associated Press reported.
For pilots, it could mean less time aloft or carrying less weight in their baskets.
Typically, when the mornings are cool, less fuel is needed to get the balloons to rise. Fiesta veterans explain it's all about generating lift by heating the air inside the envelope to temperatures greater than what's on the outside.
“With cooler weather, pilots are able to fly for longer duration,” Garrity said. “But when you have warmer temperatures, it just means that you pop up, you go up a little bit and you come back down. So just some shorter flights.”
Still, ballooning happens year-round in many places, including in the Phoenix area, which has seen its share of record-breaking temperatures over recent months.
“These are really non-issues from a spectator’s standpoint," said Troy Bradley, an accomplished balloon pilot who has been flying for decades. “I don’t see any difference other than they won’t be freezing in the pre-dawn hours.”
Even the fiesta's official meteorologist has joked about the possibility of wearing shorts this year.
This year's fiesta also features 106 balloons in special shapes, 16 of which will be making their fiesta debut. That includes Mazu, modeled after the sea goddess of the same name who is deeply rooted in Taiwanese culture and traditions.