Marine Mammal Strandings: How can you help?

MARINE MAMMAL STRANDINGS: HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Martyna Frankowska | 8th February 2021

Marine megafauna strandings are regular occurrence along Irish coasts, particularly from December to March, when the harsh weather facilitates the drift of dead animals and sometimes, even live animals ashore. This time of the year, is also a time when pelagic trawls are operating off the Irish coast, and by-catch of small cetaceans, such as short-beaked common dolphin is evident. Marine strandings can be quite a shock but what can you do if an animal is stranded on a beach near you?

So what do you do when you find a stranded marine mammal? Check out our 4 simple stranding response steps for the public below:

If you find a stranded marine animal, such as a cetacean (dolphin, porpoise or whale) on a beach, it is best to keep your distance until you determine what species it is and if it breathing or not. If it is obvious that the animal is dead you can record it in the OBSERVERS App by using the “Observers Tool-kit" to screenshot your GPS location and take photos, then head to “Reports” and “Send us Images”. If you are unsure of the species I.D. before you fill out your report, head to the forum or Observers App Facebook page and send us a message with a photo and we will identify it for you. You can also learn how to identify different species by heading to the Education section of our website or the Education Tab on the Observers App.

The Observers App lets you report sightings, strandings and entanglements of several different species of marine megafauna. These may include cetaceans, sharks, seals, tuna and seabirds. "Join the Pod", use your #Tech4Good and view other recent records when you sign up to be a member for free! At Ocean Research & Conservation Association Ireland, we carry out vital research to collect baseline information to learn more about animal migration, population dynamics and important areas for vulnerable species. Become an #OceanHero and download the Observers App from the Google Play Store today!

****COMING SOON - Observers App for iPhone/ iOS - Release date 11th August 2021.

If the animal is alive, you can get in contact with ORCA IRELAND's Response Hotline on 089-462-53-74 so that we can provide you with information on how best to handle the situation until one of our trained responders can be on-site to conduct an evaluation, and to determine if it is in their best interest to be returned to the sea.

We recommend that if it is an injured or obviously sick seal onshore, once again, do not approach it and contact Seal Rescue Ireland’s Rescue Hotline on 087-195-53-93 . It is a common misconception that if there is a seal pup alone on the beach, it means it has been abandoned by its mother. Most of the time, this is in fact not the case. A mother seal may leave its pup on the beach while they are looking for food. If you’re worried about a seal pup alone, look for another seal bobbing its head in and out of the water in the distance. This may be its mother. Observe from a distance that the seal returns for the pup. If there was no sign of another seal, leave the pup alone and possibly come back the next day to see if it’s still there. You can find more information on what to do if you find a seal hauled out on a beach or in the water near your boat on our website here .