Striped dolphin seen near Hoek van Holland, possibly in distress

A striped dolphin was spotted near Hoek van Holland this weekend, reported SOS Dolfijn. The organization called the situation "worrying", as it usually involves dolphins that live in large groups. Therefore, they assume the animal could be in distress.

On Saturday, the dolphin came very close to the coast several times and threatened to strand. But it did not come to that in the end. On Sunday, around 10:45 a.m., the dolphin was seen again by an experienced observer. The animal was swimming near the Noorderpier near the Zuid-Holland coastal town.

Helaas is het dier begin van de middag bijna gestrand geraakt. Maar daarna gelukkig weer naar zee gekomen met opkomend water. Ons rescueteam is ter plaatse om het te observeren. 🤞🏻 https://t.co/mB15bcfRRe

— SOSDolfijn (@SOSDolfijn) January 7, 2023

According to a spokesperson for SOS Dolfijn, the North Sea is not the natural habitat of this dolphin species. They are usually found in seas and oceans with moderate to warm temperatures. However, they are occasionally spotted in the North Sea. This was the case in 2020 near Harlingen. However, in 2016 and 2017, dead specimens were found. They also washed ashore in 2004 and 2006, although in some cases, the animals could be taken care of.

However, it is not impossible that the observed striped dolphin is still healthy. "Anything is possible. As long as the animal is swimming, we have hope. There is a chance that the animal will find food and find its way back, for example to conspecifics," a spokesperson said.

Nevertheless, SOS Dolfijn was concerned because the animal behaved unusually on Saturday. "So the dolphin ambulance is on standby," the spokesperson said.

On Sunday afternoon, however, SOS Dolfijn tweeted that the striped dolphin had not been seen for several hours. Therefore, the organization hoped the dolphin had found its way back to the open sea.

De dolfijn is nu al twee uur uit het zicht verdwenen. Hopelijk heeft het dier open zee weer gevonden en verder op doorreis. Zie jij de dolfijn zwemmen? Meld dit dan via @waarneming Kenmerkend is de sikkelvormige rugvin en spitse snuit. pic.twitter.com/8hBZBZSxXQ

— SOSDolfijn (@SOSDolfijn) January 8, 2023

Striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) are medium-sized dolphins, SOS Dolfijn reported. "An adult animal grows up to 2.70 meters. Adult animals average about 2 meters. Calves are less than a meter tall at birth. They are born in summer or fall and nurse from their mother for 12 to 18 months. A striped dolphin can live more than 50 years," the organization wrote in a post on Facebook.

SOS Dolfijn can provide shelter if the animal strands. This would take place in a special sanctuary at Landgoed Hoenderdaell.

Last Tuesday, SOS Dolfijn reported another sighting in which a humpback whale was spotted. It was possibly an animal that had been seen a week earlier off the Belgian coast near Ostend.