Good News Possible For NJ's Wayward Dolphins
Trio could be heading back out to sea
Monday, Jan 26, 2009 | Updated 4:18 PM EDT
Scott Longfield
This photo of the dolphins swimming is from the summer. A report Saturday suggests three of the remaining five could be headed back out to sea.
There's good news for a pod of wayward dolphins in New Jersey's Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers.
Three of the remaining five dolphins are headed back to sea.
A volunteer with the Marine Mammal Stranding Center said Saturday that the trio was spotted in Sandy Hook Bay, a couple hundred yards north of the mouth of the Shrewsbury River and the Route 36 Bridge.
Since June, a pod of as many as 16 bottle-nosed dolphins have taken up residence below the bridge and have refused to leave, even with this week's return of some nasty weather.
Several have died, and the federal government has refused to allow a rescue effort.
Saturday's sighting also included two dolphins above the bridge, where construction of a new span has led many to speculate that the noise was trapping the dolphins in the river.
It's not clear yet if the three dolphins spotted in the bay will continue around Sandy Hook and out to sea...or rejoin their mates back in the frigid waters of the Shrewsbury.
