Dolphins venture into Raritan River in New Brunswick

A pod of dolphins was spotted in the Raritan River in New Brunswick last week, according to New Brunswick Today.

On Tuesday, the five dolphins were seen swimming near the Albany Street Bridge, captured on video by the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership. The Marine Mammal Stranding Center told New Jersey 101.5 that the pod was last spotted on Wednesday.

Andrea Gomez, a spokesperson for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, confirmed to New Brunswick Today that the pod spotted in the Raritan River was a group of a common type of dolphin called Delphinus Delphis.

She said that while it is common for dolphins to be spotted off-shore in the Atlantic Ocean, it is unusual and unsafe for the dolphins to be this close to shore and in rivers like the Raritan.

"Annually, we do receive reports of dolphins that venture into river systems throughout the region," Gomez said. "In some cases, they are chasing prey, but in other cases, the reason for their movements into rivers is unclear."

She said many concerns arise from dolphins coming too close to shore, including the risk of encountering boats and becoming stranded. She said her office is monitoring the situation.