Government Takes Action to Help Dolphin Population

This summer, more than 70 dolphins have washed up on New Jersey’s shores, triggering government investigations and intervention. The National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration purports that the sudden increase in marine mammal deaths is attributed to the cetacean morbillivirus, a disease that resembles the measles. According to the New Jersey 101.5’s website, the NOAA is issuing the State Department of Environmental Protection $92,000 for increased ocean patrolling, to assist the dolphin population in recovering from one of the worst cetacean morbillivirus epidemics to affect the animals since 1988. In a recent tweet, Garden State Governor Chris Christie said that his office is “committed to doing everything we can to assist in this investigation, and to helping the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in their work to respond to this sad situation.”