Stranding team, volunteers plan annual dolphin count

The Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Team and about 70 volunteers are planning to conduct their annual dolphin count Saturday.

During the annual event, from 8 a.m. to noon, the group will spread out to 16 observation posts along beaches of the lower Chesapeake Bay and southern Virginia coast, according to the aquarium.

The count, in its 18th year, helps the team get an idea how many dolphins are in Virginia waters, a news release says. They also learn about the dolphins’ coastal habits.

The information gathered during the counts is used by state and federal agencies that make decisions on projects along the coast, according to the aquarium.