Humpback Whale Stranding Daytona Beach Shores

News Journal article 01-19-07 Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3

Marine mammal strandings are common along the Florida coast and occur when live animals beach themselves or dead animals wash up on shore. Many of the reasons why live animals beach themselves are unknown. When a stranding occurs in Volusia County, a team of volunteers, the Volusia County Stranding Network, are notified to assess the situation. The stranding network operates under the Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute (HSWRI) Letter of Agreement (LOA). This LOA is authorized by the National Marine Fisheries Service Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program for the Southeast Region. The Volusia County Stranding Network (VCSN) team limits its stranding responses to cetaceans (whales and dolphins) only. Manatees are under the supervision of the state’s Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). A stranded animal can provide an opportunity for data to be collected that cannot be obtained in any other way. When an animal is reported as stranded, HSWRI is notified and they then notify the VCSN coordinator. A VCSN  team member then travels to the stranding location and assesses the situation. The team member takes measurements, determines sex, and sometimes a field necropsy is conducted in order to obtain samples for further analysis by HSWRI. The data collected from a stranded animal can help researchers determine if there are environmental causes that may be creating problems for marine life or humans, or whether the stranding was a natural occurrence. This data may help to determine the cause of death, along with expanding our knowledge of cetacean physiology, including feeding and reproductive habits. In all live stranding cases, the animal needs medical care and will be transported to a rehabilitation center for treatment. If the animal is mortally injured or in the last stages of dying, humane euthanasia may be required. To become a member of the Stranding Network, you have to meet certain criteria set by HSWRI and have completed required training sessions. Volunteers need to be in good physical condition, easily accessable to respond to a call day or night, and be able to handle the pressures of seeing animals in distress and decomposed specimens.  If you see a stranded marine mammal do not attempt to push it back in the water.  These animals need immediate attention; they will beach themselves again if placed back in the water, and use up much needed energy in the process.  For stranded whales and dolphins call: Hubbs-Seaworld Research Institute (HSWRI) Marine Mammal Stranding Pager:  321-638-9839  For stranded, injured or dead Manatees call: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC):  1-888-404-3922  What you can do to help:  Call the HSRWI hotline number if the marine mammal is a cetacean or the FWC number if it is a manatee. Do not push the animal back into the water. These animals are sick and sometimes orphaned and will beach themselves again.  Keep people and pets away from the animals. Do not touch the animal because it may cause it more stress. Avoid the tail area because the animal may thrash around. For more information on marine mammals check out the following links:   Northern Right Whales.pdf  You must have the Acrobat Reader to view and print pdf files. If you do not have the Acrobat Reader, you may download it from here. National Marine Fishery Service  http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov  Hubbs-Seaworld http://www.hswri.org  Marine Mammal Center http://www.tmmc.org Marine Mammal Protection Act http://laws.fws.gov/lawsdigest/marmam.html

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