Dead stranded cetacean
Animal lacking vital signs, which means without brain, respiratory and circulatory
function.
Beached cetacean
Dead animal completely ashore
Live stranded cetacean
- Cetacean found alive, ashore or free swimming in shallow waters
- Usually in need of medical attention
- Unable to return to natural habitat without assistance
Strandled cetacean
- animal still in the water that is trapped, cannot cope or is outside of its
natural environment - possible risk of stranding that may
demand preventive measures
Entangled cetacean
- Cetacean found entangled in fishing gear
- This impairs their swimming and diving abilities and thereby their feeding activities
Unusual Mortality Event (UME)
- Unexpected mortality of cetaceans at an abnormally large scale for the species involved in the event and the area and period considered
- Immediate response is required, special investigations team may investigate causes of these events
Disease outbreak (UME)
- Specific UME involving infectious agent
- Occurrence of disease in stranded individuals in excess of what would normally be expected in a defined population, geographical area and/or season
Mass stranding (UME)
- these events involve two or more cetaceans (excluding cow/calf pairs) stranded at the same time and place.
- Possible causes: extreme weather conditions,
tidal changes, disease of one or several group members, or human-related events - Some individuals may be completely healthy
Atypical mass stranding
- Mass stranding related to sonar exposure
- Animals do not strand all together as a single cluster but over a very short and defined time lap and within a confined space
How can we determine if this stranded animal is calf or an adult?
- Fetal folders on the animal on the left
Why are pinnipeds the ‘perfect’ spillover species?
They are in contact with the terrestrial and marine environment
What are the main characteristics of a functional stranding network?
- Knowledge of an international/ national/ regional legal framework
- Guidelines for the different situations
- Definitions: glossary, objectives and aims, roles
- Skills and expertise: governmental bodies appointed for animal health and conservation, authorities, police bodies, biologists and veterinarians (pathologists and clinicians)
- Local experts/focal points, regional networks connected with a national coordination group
- Database, Museums and Tissue bank (CITES); 1 emergency task force
- Procedures for: necropsies, alive animals, rehabilitation/release, UMEs and environmental emergencies
- Training and list of authorized personnel
ACCOBAMS stranding guidelines
▪ Cooperation between national networks of cetacean strandings and the creation of a database
▪ Guidelines for the establishment of a system of Tissue Banks within the ACCOBAMS Area and Ethical Code
▪ Guidelines on the release of cetaceans in the wild
▪ Cetacean live stranding
▪ Guidelines for a coordinated cetacean stranding response
▪ Cetacean live strandings
▪ Best practices in monitoring and management of cetacean strandings
What are the key points of managing a stranding events?
— Critical points:
- different weather conditions
- work together with many different people
- spread event (when mass stranding)
- carcass movement
- carcass disposal
- Personnel safety (biological and physical risk)
- Biological risk (see picture)
- alive animal? –> Release or rehabilitate?
Which bacteria form a biological risk?
- Toxoplasma gondii: not a problem cause humans don’t eat the animal infected with this parasite
- Brucella sp: problem
- Vibrio, Salmonella, Clostridium: problem when not wearing a mask during dissection.
- In general, take care of your hands.
What happens when a sperm whale digests squid?
- Stone forming in stomach
- Stone is worth a lot money
What are different methods used for euthanasia?
- Drugs:
o Etorphine chloride: 1 single drop on the human eye can kill you
o Pentobarbital
o Midazolam - Firearm (SWED): Sperm whale euthanasia device (SWED)
- Natural death
(In Portugal: all striped dolphins euthanized because they spread diseases. The money they save with trying to save the dolphins, is being put into conservation efforts)
Examples of functional stranding network stakeholders
- Sea shepherd
- Pro Natura
- The Black fish
Role of coast guard in relation to strandings?
- Saving and protecting animals.
- But only when the animal is still in the sea.
Name of stranding reports database in Italy
MSNM
Basic data that needs to be collected and documented during a cetacean stranding
Basic field equipment to perform a necropsy of a stranded animal
Strandings database of ACCOBAMS
Medaces (for strandings in the Mediterranean)
Name of cetaceans strandings diseases database
REDACE
