Hotline or online form available; reports contribute data to marine science
Dolphins off the Ocean City inlet, photo by Mark Odell/Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources asks residents and visitors enjoying coastal and tidal waterways to remain alert for marine mammals and sea turtles through the end of summer and early fall. Dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, whales, and other marine wildlife are regular seasonal visitors to the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries, the Atlantic Ocean, and coastal bays.
Anyone who sees a marine mammal or sea turtle in Maryland waters is encouraged to report it via the Maryland Natural Resources Police Hotline, 800-628-9944, or use a simple online form to report deceased marine mammals or sea turtles. Anglers, boaters, and beachgoers should especially be on the lookout for stranded, dead, sick, injured, or entangled animals.
Since 1990, Maryland’s Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Response Program has answered reports of more than 1,400 strandings along Maryland’s 3,190 miles of coastline.
“Our responsibility is to respond to calls regarding deceased marine mammals and sea turtles,” said Stranding Response Program Coordinator Amanda Weschler. “While the death of marine wildlife can be a difficult reality, every report and the select necropsies we perform contribute valuable information to the scientific understanding of these species, their habitats, and the challenges they face in our waters.”
So far in 2024, program staff have responded to 42 animals, including:
- 24 bottlenose dolphins
- 8 loggerhead sea turtles
- 3 grey seals
- 2 Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles
- 1 unknown balaenopterid (unidentified large whale skull)
- Single cases of harbor porpoise, harp seal, humpback whale, and striped dolphin
The Standing Response Program supports federal regulations, such as the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act, which safeguard these marine species. By conducting necropsies on stranded marine mammals and sea turtles, the program gathers essential data about the health of individual animals, the status of coastal populations, and the overall condition of Maryland’s marine environment.
A necropsy, similar to an autopsy performed on humans, is a comprehensive examination of an animal’s body to determine the cause of death. This process involves organ sampling and diagnostic tissue analysis. Marine mammals strand for a variety of reasons including old age, disease, major trauma (vessel strike), predation, entanglement in fishing gear, and parasitism.
Not all reported animals are viable for necropsy due to factors such as decomposition, resource availability, and the accessibility and safety of the stranding site. In cases where necropsy is not feasible, Stranding Response Program staff record details of the case, and the bodies are often left at the stranding site to decompose naturally, benefiting the ecosystem. Alternate disposal methods include burial on-site or removal to designated disposal facilities, depending on the circumstances and local regulations. A list of relevant contacts for individuals seeking assistance with disposal is listed on the DNR website.
The department urges anyone who encounters a stranded animal, alive or dead, to maintain a safe and respectful distance and record details, including photos, to provide with a report.