Early findings revealed in East Rockaway dolphin death

The dolphin that was trapped in Mill River in East Rockaway and eventually discovered dead may have been killed after getting struck by a vessel, according to the preliminary findings of the NY Marine Rescue Center.

A necropsy, or animal autopsy, was performed on the dolphin after it was found dead in Mill River, south of Lazy Lobster in East Rockaway. Previous reports that claimed the dolphin was found in Far Rockaway, Queens were false.

“The following are the preliminary findings: lacerations consistent with a vessel strike, muddy substrate with sticks and non-embedded fishing hook found in its gastrointestinal tract, and possible parasitic infection of the brain,” the center wrote on its Facebook page. “Samples were collected for pathological examination to further investigate these findings as possible causes of death. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.”

The dolphin was discovered trapped in Mill River in late July. On Aug. 13, rescuers were to begin a herding operation to bring the dolphin out of the shallow river and into the ocean, but they were unable to find the mammal. It was later found dead and recovered by the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society.

Maxine Montello, the director for the NY Marine Rescue Center, said that when searchers went to find the dolphin on Aug. 13 and couldn’t find it, their team surveyed the site via land, water and air, but could not locate the water animal.

“We didn’t attempt intervention until [Aug. 13] to give the animal a chance to move out of the area on its own,” she explained last week. “Due to the location of the animal and its active behavior, stranding network biologists, dolphin experts and veterinarians determined that safe intervention options for this care were very limited.”

Over the last few weeks, campers at Rolling River Day Camp in East Rockaway were able to catch frequent glimpses of the mammal after it emerged in the river in late July. It was determined that during high tide, the marine animal went under the East Rockaway Long Island Rail Road station bridge into Mill River, while following a school of fish, but the water level did not rise again, so it was stuck there. Earlier this month, the tides rose again and the marine center waited to intervene based on expert recommendations and due to how active the dolphin appeared to be.

After it was initially discovered, camp administrators kayaked out to assess the situation and placed calls to wildlife conservation and rescue organizations, including the rescue center, which continued to monitor the dolphin in the ensuing days.

Marissa Goodman Allaben, a director at Rolling River, said that the experts told her after it first happened that the dolphin appeared healthy and energetic, and that attempting to rescue or move it could cause more harm than letting it find its way back to the ocean in time. The East Rockaway Fire Department also came to the camp to assess the situation from Rolling River’s marina.

While it brought much excitement to the campers, administrators took a cautious approach to not disturbing the dolphin, including banning the use of motorized boats near it.

“The campers have been excited and have been trying to spot it throughout the day,” Goodman Allaben said last month, “but at the same time, as a camp, we want to make sure we’re doing our best not to injure or disturb the dolphin. It’s been a special week at camp for all of our campers and staff to have such a rare sighting in our river.”