A
summer heat wave that began on Sunday and lasted for 7 days has finally eased. During
this span, the New York-New Jersey metropolitan region seared in the sun with daily air temperatures
rising into the mid to upper 90s to even 100 degrees in certain places. It felt
downright hot and domineering, the way the humidity mixed with the heat.
Many
local waters warmed to the low 80s in Lower New York Bay, including Raritan Bay
and Sandy Hook Bay, and to the 70s along ocean beaches, about as warm as it
ever gets. Thankfully overall water quality was good enough for people to cool
off with a dip in the ocean.
Those
coastal people lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time along
the northern Jersey Shore this past week were able to enjoy the sight of
several small pods of Bottlenose Dolphins. About six dolphins were seen
swimming in the Navesink River and about a dozen were spotted moving through the
Atlantic Ocean from Sea Bright to Long Branch.
The scene made this urban-suburban region seem more like a tropical holiday
spot during the heat wave.
I
was fortunate to spot the dolphins close at hand in the Navesink River while
kayaking. In the warm 80 degree waters
of the Navesink River, a peculiar movement caught my eye. It belonged to a
number of Bottlenose Dolphins swimming strongly and leaping up for a breath of air
about 50 feet from my kayak. Not knowing where they would pop up next, I paddled
out across the middle of the river and was able to catch sight of them again as
they headed towards a deeper part of the river, most likely following a school
of fish. I was able to see the fins and
a few blowholes as they were moving. It was all very quick and a little
difficult to track.
Later
on in the week, in the 90 degree heat with a strong summer haze hanging over
the region, I was able to spot quite a few more dolphins swimming off the ocean
shoreline in Long Branch during sunset. Their
travels were a mystery as they headed south swimming strong and sure. Most
likely foraging for fish following warm water currents.
How
exciting to see dolphins in the wild! A top-of-the-pyramid predator swimming
downstream from New York City.
Best
guess, I spotted two different pods of Bottlenose Dolphins as they followed
prey. One within the ocean and the other pod into the Navesink River. In recent
years, dolphin populations have increased dramatically to become widespread and
prevalent along the Jersey Shore, especially during the warmer months of the
year when water temperatures reach 55 degrees or higher. Nowadays dolphin
sightings are almost guaranteed during the summer as these marine mammals
forage for fish.
Our
local population of Bottlenose Dolphins, those commonly seen from beaches,
actually migrates every year. Starting in the spring the dolphins will migrate north
from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to Sandy Hook, New Jersey, the northern end
of their range. Other Bottlenose Dolphin populations can be found from Maine to
Florida in the US, and even farther north and south, each pod having their own
home range.
During
the summer, our coastal dolphins will mate, especially around Cape May and Delaware
Bay, where the largest concentration of Bottlenose Dolphins are found along the
Jersey Shore. It's a population into the hundreds. Females will give birth
usually to one calf, about every two to three years.
Bottlenose
Dolphins will also spend their time feeding along the Jersey Shore, anywhere there is a lot of schooling baitfish
and bottom-dwelling invertebrates, including crabs. The dolphins will feed
individually or as a group with other dolphins within their pod. They will use
echolocation, sending out high frequency clicks, that act like sonar to
identify objects in the water, including potential prey.
Although
Bottlenose Dolphins are not endangered species, there are still many threats
and risks to their survival as they move through urban waters. The impacts are
unfortunately many. They include entanglement in fishing gear, offshore oil and
natural gas development that limits their foraging habitat, oil spills and
other chemical pollutants, and noise pollution created by ship traffic or
offshore construction that restricts a dolphin's primary means of
communication, navigation, locating food, locating mates, and avoiding
predators.
It
is actually illegal to harass marine mammals, including dolphins. The Marine
Mammal Protection Act of 1972 prohibits any interaction that may disturb the
natural behavior of an animal or increases the potential for injury. It is
illegal to harass, kill, or possess any marine mammal (dead or alive) in the
US.
If
you are on a boat, please remember that it's best to leave at least 200 feet
between you and a dolphin. If they come up to your boat, please cut the engines
for safety and just watch. Do not attempt to feed dolphins or get too close to
them. Feeding wild animals can create a dangerous situation whereby dolphins
learn to associate humans with food. This can cause harm to both dolphins and
humans and it is illegal. A safe distance must always be kept between humans
and dolphins or other marine mammals.
According
to the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey, a non-profit environmental organization
created to preserve rare and imperiled species of wildlife that live and
migrate through New Jersey, a status review completed in 2009 by the New Jersey
Endangered and Nongame Species Program found that the Bottlenose Dolphin should
be listed as a species of special concern in New Jersey. This listing is due to
recent die-offs and diseases which have struck the species in local waters as
well as due to the critical role New Jersey waters play in the survival of the
coastal migratory population as a calving and nursery area. Further survey
effort targeted at this species will be necessary in order to determine
distribution and abundance within New Jersey waters.
Any
sightings in New Jersey of dolphins or other marine mammals and sea turtles should
be reported to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine at (609)
266-0538. Along coastal New York State, report all sightings to the RiverheadFoundation's 24 hour Hotline at (631) 369-9829.
For
more information about the ecology of Bottlenose Dolphins in New Jersey, please
check out the website for the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey at http://www.conservewildlifenj.org/species/fieldguide/view/Tursiops%20truncatus/
Add a comment