Dozens of dead dolphins wash up in Florida with 22 found in March
Of the strandings so far in March, most occurred between March 7 and 10.
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At least 42 bottlenose dolphins have washed up stranded along the Florida panhandle since the start of 2026, with more than half of the strandings occurring in March alone.
The Florida Panhandle Marine Institute said they typically respond to 30 dolphin or whale strandings a year, with less than 10 reported on average by the month of March.
Of the strandings so far in March, most occurred between March 7 and 10, the institute said.
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The Florida Panhandle Marine Institute responds to a deceased dolphin stranding on Sunday, March 15.
(Florida Panhandle Marine Institute / FOX Weather)
Most of the strandings were reported in Bay and Gulf counties in Florida, around St. Joseph's Bay.
The institute said all but two of the stranded dolphins were already dead upon arrival. Two of the dolphins were alive, but died shortly after rescue.
When possible, the institute sends recently deceased dolphins from stranding off for a necropsy, where samples are collected to determine a cause or manner of death.
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Sometimes, the dolphins are too decomposed, and the institute can only collect basic information on the dolphins. When this happens, the team moves the dolphins away from highly public or private properties whenever possible.
The institute said it has sent off samples from as many of the recently stranded dolphins as possible for analysis, but the results can sometimes take weeks or months to come in.
None of the test results on the recently deceased dolphins have returned yet.
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The Florida Panhandle Marine Institute removes a dead dolphin and prepares to conduct a necropsy on the dolphin.
(Florida Panhandle Marine Institute / FOX Weather)
The Florida Panhandle Marine Institute operates under a Stranding Agreement with the National Marine Fisheries Service, which grants them authority to respond to stranding incidents.
They cover cases for the entire Florida Panhandle coastline, from the Alabama border to the St. Mark's River in Wakulla County.
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While all the stranding in this case have been bottlenose dolphins, the Florida Panhandle Marine Institute said it will respond to any reports of stranded whales or dolphins.
The Florida Marine Panhandle Institute said if anyone ever comes across a live or dead stranded dolphin or whale, never push it back out to sea or remove it. Instead, contact a local rescue or response organization.
The Florida Panhandle Marine Institute prepares to move a dead, stranded dolphin from shallow waters on March 15.
(Florida Panhandle Marine Institute / FOX Weather)
For those in Florida, callers can reach the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-3922, which will get them in touch with their local response group.
In the coastal Southeast, callers can also contact the National Marine Fisheries Service hotline at 1-877-942-5343 (877-WHALE-HELP).
To learn more about the Florida Panhandle Marine Institute and donate to their cause, click here.