Mendy Garron and her team from NOAA handle the Maine to Virginia corridor for stranded marine animals She recommends contacting the first responders for our region at the Whale Center hotline, 978.281.6351.

Migration of the Atlantic White-sided Dolphin from the Convention on Migratory Species website: “There may be inshore-offshore movements with the seasons in some areas (Carwardine, 1995). Selzer and Payne (1988) suggested that L. acutus moves south along the continental shelf edge in winter and spring, in association with the relatively cold, less saline Gulf of Maine water flowing southwards through Northeast Channel during these seasons. Seasonal variation in sea-surface temperature and salinity and local nutrient upwelling in areas of high sea floor relief may affect preferred prey abundances, which in turn may affect dolphin distribution. The occurrence of Atlantic white-sided dolphins off Newfoundland seems also to be seasonal, mainly from July to October (Reeves et al. 1999). Data from one satellite-monitored dolphin indicated an ability to travel long distances at a speed of at least 14 km/hr (Mate et al. 1994).”

Distribution Map of the Atlantic White-sided Dolphin (Lagenorhyncus acutus)

Map courtesy of the Convention on Migratory Species