Dolphin Washes Ashore At Jacob Riis Park In Queens

QUEENS, NY — A dolphin washed ashore in Queens over the weekend, according to environmental officials and marine life experts.

The six-foot-long common dolphin washed up near Bay 9 along the beach at Jacob Riis Park, according to the National Park Service and the nonprofit Atlantic Marine Conservation Society.

It had no visible injuries and appeared to be of old age, leading the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society's stranding response team to conclude that the dolphin likely died of natural causes, executive director and chief scientist Robert DiGiovanni Jr. told Patch, though autopsy results are pending.

DiGiovanni said his nonprofit, which serves as a first responder for stranded marine life in New York, has seen an increase in reports of stranded animals lately — but that they have also been notified of more marine animal sightings.

"That's one of the things we're trying to investigate," DiGiovanni said. "We want to see if there's a problem, or if it's just because there were more animals."

The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society has responded to a dozen reports of stranded common dolphins in New York this year, up from eight last year, he said.

Members of the public are urged to report sightings of marine mammals and sea turtles to the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society and call the New York State stranding hotline at 631-369-9829 to report a sick or injured marine animal.