Call the 24-hours hotline 631.369.9829 to report your sighting
Keep a distance from the animals of at least 50 yards
Email any photos to sightings@riverheadfoundation.org
Do not try to feed the animals or interact with them in any way
Click on the image above to learn more.
July 1, 2009
The last sighting of the dolphins was on Monday, June 29 around 3:30 PM off of Smithtown Bay, Long Island Sound (see map). By the time the Riverhead Foundation biologists got on scene the animals were gone so no photos were collected. The following day the Riverhead Foundation performed an aerial survey of Long Island Sound with no sightings.
Today a report came through about a large group of dolphins off of Sagg Main Beach, Atlantic Ocean, which is the south shore of Long Island (see map). No photos were taken so the species could not be confirmed. The animals were observed about 200 yards off shore moving west, and the group consisted of about 50 animals.
June 29, 2009
Over the weekend the group of dolphins have been sighted in the general area of wetern Long Island Sound, between Rye, NY and Hempstead Harbor (see map below). The animals remain very active and the Riverhead Foundation biologists observed feeding behaviors. It was confirmed via photographs and video footage that the group consists of adults and some very young calves.
June 26, 2009
In the past few days the Riverhead Foundation has received numerous reports of groups of dolphins in Long Island Sound (see map below). The most recent group was reported to the Riverhead Foundation on Thursday, June 25, and today two biologists headed out to Huntington Harbor to collect data on the animals. The dolphins were identified to be bottlenose dolphins and the group size was estimated to be well over 100 individuals. The pod was composed of both adults and younger animals with a few possible calves. The dolphins were active and using a large portion of the bay.
Photos of the dolphins:
Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are probably the most known species of cetaceans in the world. These are the dolphins commonly seen in captivity at shows and aquariums. Adult sizes vary from 6-12 feet. These animals also vary in color from blue-gray to brown with lighter sides and belly. They have no distinctive color patterns. Some have spots, blazes, and stripes. The body and head are generally robust. There are two distinct types of bottlenose dolphins: coastal and offshore. The coastal group is generally shorter and slimmer than the larger offshore group. The dorsal fin is tall and sharply pointed, with a broad base. The coastal dolphins are often found in shallow, warm inshore waters of bays and rivers. The offshore dolphins are found in deep offshore waters of shelf edges and slopes. Coastal dolphins feed on a variety of fish and invertebrates while the offshore dolphins feed on squid and small fish mainly. Bottlenose dolphins are known to live more than 50 years. They are found worldwide in tropical to cold-temperate waters (source: Guide to Marine Mammals).
