

Photo provided by Chesapeake Beach Mayor Pat Mahoney

UPDATE 12:55 p.m. New and additional details

Chesapeake Beach, MD - A dolphin has been found dead on Brownie’s Beach in Chesapeake Beach, the town mayor reported Friday morning, July 13. According to Mayor Pat Mahoney, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was immediately notified.

Amanda Weschler, the DNR’s Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding coordinator, told TheBayNet.com that agency officials had received reports of the dead dolphin floating in the bay earlier this week. “It was spotted off Shadyside,” said Weschler, adding that dolphin experts from Calvert Marine Museum will conduct a “morpho-metric” assessment to document the defunct mammal’s length and weight as well as take photographs. After the basic data collection is completed the dolphin carcass with be disposed of by the Calvert County Department of Public Works. Since the dolphin is so badly decomposed, no autopsy will be conducted. However, a case report is pending.

Pods of dolphins have become a frequent sight on the Chesapeake Bay and some of its tributaries during the summertime. Weschler said DNR has been tracking dolphins in the Chesapeake for several decades.

Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com