MARATHON, Fla., March 3 (UPI) -- Volunteers struggled to help more than 60 dolphins stranded in shallow water off Marathon in the Florida Keys Thursday.
The dolphins were stranded over about a mile and a half of shoreline, WTVJ-TV, Miami, reported.
A few of the dolphins had died, but animal rescue officials said Thursday they didn't have a number yet.
"They are definitely under stress," said Sarah Gomez of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "These are aquatic animals and being on land is the last place they want to be."
The rescuers said they did not know why the dolphins had beached. Theories included disease or red tide, a bloom of algae that sickens marine life. One theory was the animals simply got caught in shallow water during an unusually low tide.
"Our basic goal is to stay in the water with them and keep their blowholes above water so they can breathe," said volunteer Kate Fisher.
Officials also kept an eye on the volunteers and other rescue workers for symptoms of hypothermia because many of them spent the night in the chilly water.
