Young dolphin spotted alone in Connecticut river after swimming 15 miles
A wayward dolphin has been swimming in a Connecticut river after making its way upstream from Long Island Sound.
The dolphin was first spotted Thursday morning by fishermen along the Thames River. A video posted to Facebook shows the dolphin jumping around near the Norwich Marina, about 15 miles from the sound. The clip, which was originally shared on TikTok by the account @tashizzlee, shows the animal leaping repeatedly into the air for about 20 seconds before disappearing under the water.
"You hooked a dolphin, bro!" one voice is heard saying at the beginning of the video. Its caption on TikTok suggested that the people out fishing hoped to find striped bass and were surprised when instead a "dolphin [hopped] on [their] line."
Eventually, the animal rescue team at Mystic Aquarium was notified. They have been monitoring the situation along with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The ocean mammal was spotted in the same area again on Friday morning.
The dolphin appears to be small and may be a juvenile, said Alexandra Cojocaru, the aquarium's animal rescue technician.
It's possible it was looking for food or simply got turned around and separated from its pod, she said.
Cojocaru said it's unusual, but not unheard of, for a dolphin to make its way into the river, and she is hopeful it will eventually find its way back to Long Island Sound without needing to be rescued.
"If they remain in fresh water for extended periods of time, that could lead to issues with their skin and other things," she said. "So, it's definitely not ideal for them to be in fresh water for a long period of time."