Lower Township near Cape May Point in Cape May County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Flipper and Friends

Whale & Dolphin Migration

— Wildlife Migration —

Flipper and Friends Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 27, 2009

1. Flipper and Friends Marker

Inscription. Whales and dolphins, known collectively as cetaceans, visit New Jersey’s coastal waters and the Delaware Estuary during the warmer months. Their migratory movements may be a reflection of the changing locations of their prey: fish, crustaceans, mollusks, krill, and plankton.

Cetaceans are a good indicator of water quality. In 1987, a significant number of dolphins died, most likely due to pollution-related bacteria. Keeping our oceans free of pollutants and litter helps maintain the health and safety of the cetaceans.

Erected by State of New Jersey – Division of Parks & Forestry.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Environment • Science & Medicine • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1987.

Location. 38° 55.926′ N, 74° 57.526′ W. Marker is near Cape May Point, New Jersey, in Cape May County. It is in Lower Township. Marker can be reached from Lighthouse Avenue, on the left when traveling south. Marker is in Cape May Point State Park, on the deck by the beach. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Cape May Point NJ 08212, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. What is it? (within shouting distance of this marker); Longshore Sediment Movement (within shouting distance

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of this marker); Swarms of Dragonflies (within shouting distance of this marker); Shorebirds Galore (within shouting distance of this marker); Fragile Flyers (within shouting distance of this marker); Ridges, Rivers and Coastlines (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Bats on the Move (about 300 feet away); Monomoy Lifesaving Boat (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cape May Point.

More about this marker. The right side of the marker contains a picture of a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncates).
Pictures of three different cetaceans appear at the bottom left of the marker. The first has a caption of “Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncates) are quite abundant in temperate seas. Between May and September, they are common in New Jersey’s coastal waters, and larger individuals may also be found here in the colder months.
The next photo has a caption of “The harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) lives in the North Atlantic and the North Pacific. They migrate south in the fall and north in the spring. Harbor porpoises are

Marker in Cape May Point State Park image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 27, 2009

2. Marker in Cape May Point State Park

The Flipper and Friends marker is part of the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route.

not as flashy as their bottlenose cousins, a fin may be all that you see.”
The last picture includes the caption “Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) feed on krill and small fish in northern coastal waters during the summer. In the fall, they migrate south to the Caribbean to mate and bear young.”

Also see . . . New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route. National Park Service website. (Submitted on June 30, 2011, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 30, 2011, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 557 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 30, 2011, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.