Have you ever wondered what happened to the dolphins in the winter time?
Where do the Cape May Dolphins Go In The Winter
One thing we love to do down here is answer some visitors questions that are sent to us via our Facebook page, Wildwood Boardwalk.
Today’s question comes from the Casi family of Cherry Hill. They asked, “Where do the dolphins we see during the summer go in the winter?” This is a great question!
The kind of dolphins we see off our coasts are called bottlenose dolphins. These dolphins are large, sleek and gray in color.
Bottlenose dolphins are migratory animals which means that they do not spend all their time in one place.
During the hot summers, once the ocean temperatures hit 50 degrees, the dolphins come up to New Jersey for to feed, mate and give birth to their calves.
Once the temperature starts to drop closer to 50 they start to move south to North and South Carolina. This mostly happens between November and April.
It’s not likely that a dolphin would stay up here in New Jersey in November as their summer food source, menhaden, leaves the area in mid October.
So to recap. Dolphin head down to the Carolina’s to stay in warmer water and where their food source is.
Thank you to the Casi Family of Cherry Hill for this great question!
If you ever have a burning question about what happens in Cape May County then shoot us a question on Facebook! Everyday you should be learning something new!
[Cover Photo by Brad Anthony]
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