Coast Guard, Marine Mammal Stranding Center Help Beached Dolphins

STONE HARBOR, N.J. (CBS)—Another dolphin has been safety returned back to the water after it washed ashore on Monday.

The Marine Mammal Stranding Center says the dolphin was found off the Stone Harbor beach and healthy enough to go back into the water.

"After a check by our veterinarian, Dr. Paluch, it was determined the dolphin was healthy and fit to go back to sea," said the MMSC. "Cape May Coast Guard was contacted by NOAA Law Enforcement to allow us a ride 5 miles out to sea, where the dolphin was tagged and released."

Multiple dolphins had been stranded in the shallow Hereford Inlet earlier that day but those dolphins swam off when the tide came in.

Video posted on the North Wildwood Recreation and Tourism Facebook page shows one of the stranded mammals unable to get back out to sea. One dolphin was on a N Wildwood beach and was carried to surf by N Wildwood Fire Dept. and released.

MMSC officials are urging the public to always contact them when these animals wash ashore.

"We would like to evaluate every animal that comes ashore and tag them in case they wash up again. We don't want to push sick animals back into the ocean, as their chance of survival would be slim."