WESTPORT — A few dolphins were recently spotted off the coast of Norwalk and Westport — a rare sight according to the people who live in the area.

“It was very magical,” said Patti Brill, who lives near where the dolphins were spotted.

She said they first saw them March 5 and then spent another two hours on March 6 observing their marine visitors in Bermuda Lagoon. Given everything going on the world, Brill said this moment of nature was a much welcome calm.

A newsletter from local marinas last week also shared photos of the dolphins swimming in Long Island Sound, saying there had been sightings over a few days.

There haven’t been any recent reports of the dolphins.

Brill suspects there were three or four of them but it was hard to tell based on how they were coming up out of the water and then disappearing below.

“They seemed very healthy, not in distress or anything like that,” Brill said.

The Maritime Aquarium received photos and videos of the dolphins, but didn’t see them when the research vessel went out last Thursday and Friday.

Dylan Salamone, Norwalk Aquarium’s senior aquarist in the animal husbandry department, said he can’t confirm the type of animal spotted in the water but suspects they might be white sided dolphins based on the photos and videos sent.

He said it’s hard to say how common it is for the dolphins to be here because they live in this part of the world. White sided dolphins, for example, are generally found in temperate waters in the north Atlantic, which spans from the middle of the U.S. up through Canada and the Greenland area. Not much is known about their migratory patterns either, though scientists are trying to learn more.

“I think what’s less common is how often people see them,” Salamone said.

That’s changing a bit in recent years though with more people seeing dolphins off Connecticut’s coast.

He said this could be a sign of the Long Island Sound’s improving health. He said dolphins are likely to be seen more if the fish are good, which is what he suspects drew this group to this spot.

“Dolphins hunt through echolocation,” Salamone said, adding it’s common for them to hunt in areas like this where they can trap fish. He said it’s possible there was already good fishing there or they drove the fish into the lagoon to catch them.

He said it’s great to see dolphins in the Long Island Sound and people’s excitement over their presence.

“Any moment when people are appreciating the wildlife in their backyards is great,” he said.

It must be done at a safe distance though, like from the shore, and people shouldn’t seek them out and approach them, especially since doing so is a federal offense. He said if people are approached by an animal while out on a boat, they should cut the motor and enjoy the nature around them.

“Marine animals are extremely protected in the U.S. and that’s good,” Salamone said, adding the federal government takes any interruption to the animals’ lifestyle or habitat seriously.

Approaching them could scare the mother away from the young or distress the animal, he warned. People can call local organizations that specialize in rescuing wildlife if they suspect the animal is in trouble. In Connecticut, confusion can often arise over the seals lounging on the coast where the animal isn’t actually in trouble.

Salamone welcomed people enjoying the animals through their cameras’ zoom feature or at zoos and aquariums.

He hopes seeing animals like this will inspire people to form a connection with the environment and care for the ecosystems in their backyards.

“It’s exciting but I hope people take that excitement and apply it to their daily lives,” Salamone said.

This includes following “reduce, reuse, recycle,” as well as being conscious about the seafood they eat, ensuring it’s harvested sustainably, ensuring the amount is enough to feed humans and support the business or industry, but also leaving enough in the ocean for the other animals that rely on it. He recommended using Seafood Watch, which is an app out of Monteray Bay Aquarium that lets people see if what they’re eating is sustainable.

Salamone said sightings like these dolphins can help people realize the larger ecosystem underwater.

“That animal is only there if there is a healthy ecosystem below them,” he said, adding he hopes more come.

Brill said she hopes the dolphins are doing well wherever they are now.

“I hope they come back again,” Brill said.

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Originally Appeared Here