Do Not Move Stranded Whales, Dolphins, or Porpoises

What should you do if you come across a live dolphin, porpoise, or whale on the beach? While your instinct may be to push it back, you should not attempt to touch, handle, or return them to the water. These species live their entire lives in the water and usually only come on shore if they are severely injured or extremely sick. Instead, you should immediately contact trained and authorized responders in your area. 

The National Marine Mammal Stranding Response Network is composed of trained and experienced responders and veterinarians. These responders can safely conduct a hands-on physical assessment, provide appropriate supportive care, and consider all feasible options in the best interest of the animal. Pushing a stranded marine mammal back into the water before responders arrive on scene can:

• Unintentionally harm the animal
• Delay assessment and treatment
• Prolong suffering
• Lead to the loss of important health data
• Jeopardize your safety

Human Safety Concerns

Whales, dolphins, and porpoises are powerful wild animals. You should not closely approach, touch, or handle them without the proper training and appropriate resources (e.g., personal protective equipment). Even while stranded on a beach, they are capable of causing physical injuries, including:

• Cuts
• Scrapes
• Bites
• Bruises
• Broken bones 

They can also carry infectious diseases that can spread to people and pets. NOAA Fisheries’ Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program has worked with the Stranding Network to develop and refine techniques and best practices to prioritize responder health and safety.

Determining the Best Response

Trained response teams determine what course of action is best for the stranded animal. Options include:

• Immediately releasing it from the shore
• Transporting it to an authorized rehabilitation facility
• Euthanizing the animal in accordance with nationally approved veterinary methods

 The responders’ immediate goals are to:

• Minimize stress and suffering
• Prevent further injury
• Evaluate the animal’s likelihood of survival

The Stranding Network has the experience and authority to assist these animals and can determine whether they should be safely returned to their natural habitat. The first steps typically involve keeping the animal as comfortable as possible while providing supportive care and/or treatment. Whenever possible, responders perform a hands-on physical assessment and document the stranding, including information about the animal’s health. 

Before an animal is released, responders may mark or tag it to determine if the same animal strands again later. Dolphins and porpoises may be more easily returned to the water or transported to a more appropriate location for release given their smaller size. Whales are typically given one to two tidal cycles to refloat on their own. There is currently no safe way to refloat most large whale species without causing further harm to the animal. 

It is not always in the best interest of the animal to return it to the water given underlying health conditions, as well as the toll and stress of stranding alive. In some areas, certain species or age classes of dolphins can be rehabilitated. But, rehabilitation is challenging and does not guarantee their short- or long-term survival. Few authorized facilities nationwide can accommodate dolphin or porpoise rehabilitation, and none can provide care for large whales (baleen and sperm whales). 

The decision to euthanize an animal is never taken lightly. It is only used when identified as the best option for the animal.

Mass Stranding Events

Mass stranding events are complex and pose additional challenges. They often include multiple live stranded cetaceans in need of emergency assistance. Unlike many single stranded dolphins and whales, mass stranded animals typically do not have pre-existing injuries or illnesses. The Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program has worked with the Stranding Network to develop best practices to follow during mass stranding events.

When there is a mass stranding, trained response teams provide supportive care as soon as possible. They document the event and conduct health assessments to determine the best outcome for the affected animals. Tagging or marking animals during a mass stranding helps identify individuals throughout the event and post-release. For animals that ultimately will not survive, they are kept as comfortable as possible to alleviate suffering. The Stranding Network may conduct necropsies (animal autopsies) to provide insight into the health of the individual animal, the species, and the ocean.

Loss of Valuable Data

Response teams collect valuable health information from stranded marine mammals (both living and dead). This can provide insight into the stranding event and be used more broadly to monitor diseases, determine species distribution shifts, and mitigate threats to marine mammal populations. This crucial information is lost when marine mammals are returned to the water by well-intentioned, but untrained, individuals. 

Legal Concerns

All marine mammals are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and some are also listed under the Endangered Species Act. It is illegal for the public to harass protected species, which includes handling or pushing stranded marine mammals back into the water. Penalties for violating these acts can include fines and/or imprisonment. Federal regulations also prohibit approaching marine mammals by any means (e.g., on foot, swimming, drones, etc.). 

Observe marine mammals from a safe and respectful distance, and do not approach or touch them. 

What Can You Do?

There are several ways to support live stranded marine mammals without approaching or handling them. Prompt and accurate reporting to local Stranding Network responders is essential and can make all the difference to the outcome of a response. Keeping other onlookers and pets at a distance can help reduce stress on the animal. It also reduces the possibility of disease transfer. Saving animals in distress, and understanding the causes of injuries and illness, requires a lot of time and resources. Stranding organizations rely on support from their local communities. You can make a difference by contacting your local Stranding Network to see how you can get involved.