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West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network Publications

The West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network literature references for 2005-2020 are provided below. Literature links are available in some cases which are highlighted in blue in the reference.

West Coast

On This Page

Baseline Stranding Information

How we are using the information:

  • Baseline for unusual mortality events
  • Navy sonar incidents and future NRDA
  • Evaluating stranding numbers as estimates of actual mortality
  • Document behavior of live stranded animals
  • Estimate mortality rates for different age classes
  • Complete diagnostic tests for live stranded animals
  • Conduct post-release monitoring of rehabilitated animals to evaluate the success of the rehabilitation process (this data is collected via the rehabilitation disposition form and continued research studies)
  • Increase our understanding of the causes of morbidity and mortality in wild marine mammals

To learn more about the Network and our partners please visit our West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network page.

Papers and Major Findings/Recommendations

  • Barbieri, Michelle M., et al. 2013. Spatial and temporal analysis of killer whale (Orcinus orca) strandings in the North Pacific Ocean and the benefits of a coordinated stranding response protocol. Marine Mammal Science 29.4: E448-E462 doi: 10.1111/mms.12044
  • Bargu, S., Goldstein, T., Roberts, K., Li, C., Gulland, F. 2012. Pseudo-nitzschia blooms, domoic acid, and related California sea lion strandings in Monterey Bay, California. Marine Mammal Science. 28(2): 237-253.
  • Bargu, S., Silver, M., Goldstein, T., Roberts, K. and Gulland, F. 2010. Complexity of domoic acid-related sea lion strandings in Monterey Bay, California: foraging patterns, climate events, and toxic blooms. Marine Ecology Progress Series 418: 213-222.
  • Bowen, L., Miles, A.K., Murray, M., Haulena, M., Tuttle, J., Van Bonn, W., Adams, L., Bodkin, J.L., Ballachey, B., Estes, J., Tinker, M.T., Keister, R., Stott, J.L. 2012. Gene transcription in sea otters (Enhydra lutris); development of a diagnostic tool for sea otter and ecosystem health. Molecular Ecology Resources. 12: 67-74.
  • Caretta, J.V., Danil, K., Chivers, S.J., and Weller, D.W. 2016. Recovery rates of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncates) carcasses estimated from stranding and survival rate data. Marine Mammal Science 32(1): 349-362. doi: 10.1111/mms.12264
  • Cumeras, R., Cheung, W.H.K., Gulland, F., Goley, D., Davis, C.E. 2014. Chemical analysis of whale breath volatiles: A case study for non-invasive field health diagnostics of marine mammals. Metabolites. 2014(4): 790-806.
  • Danil, K., Chivers, S. J., Henshaw, M. D., Thieleking, J. L., Daniels, R. and St. Leger, J. A. 2010. Cetacean strandings in San Diego County, California, USA: 1851–2008. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 11(2): 163–184.
  • Dishman, D. L., D. A. Duffield, H. R. Huber, D. M. Lambourn. 2011. Genetic substructure of harbor seal (Phoca vitulina richardsi) populations along the coasts of Washington and Oregon. Oregon Chapter of The Wildlife Society Annual Meeting, Feb 9-11, Bend, OR. Annual Meeting of the Society for Northwestern Vertebrate Biology, Mar 22-25. Gig Harbor, WA. 2nd International Marine Conservation Congress, 14-18 May. Victoria, B.C. Canada.
  • Duffield, D., D. D’Alessandro, K. Chandler, J. Hussa, T. Boothe. 2015. The Northern Oregon/Southern Washington marine mammal stranding program. West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network Regional Meeting. Mar. 24-25. San Pedro, CA.
  • Duffield, D.A., Barros, N.B, D’Alessandro, D., Chandler, K., Hussa, J., Boothe, T., Rice, J.M. 2010. Challenges for the Northern Oregon/Southern Washington Marine Mammal Stranding Network. National Marine Animal Health and Stranding Network Conference. April 6-9. Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
  • Flannery, M., Greig, D., Pemberton, S. 2018. Marine mammal stranding response along the West Coast: a collaborative approach to strandings on Snowy Plover beaches. Poster SCMMW and West Coast Regional Stranding Conference.
  • Frankfurter, G., DeRango, E., Johnson, S. 2016. Use of acoustic transmitter-equipped remote sedation to aid in tracking and capture of entangled California sea lions (Zalophus californianus). Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 52(3).
  • Greig, D.J. , Gulland, F.M.D. , Rios, C.A. and Hall, A.J. 2010. Hematology and serum chemistry in stranded and wild-caught harbor seals in central California: reference intervals, predictors of survival, and parameters affecting blood variables. Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 46: 1172-1184.
  • Gulland, F.; Nutter, F.B.; Dixon, K/; Calambokidis, J.; Schorr, G.; Barlow, J.; Rowles, T.; Wilkin, S.; Spradlin, T.; Gage, L.; Mulsow, J.; Reichmuth, C.; Moore, M.; Smith, J.; Folkens, P.; Hanser, S.F.; Jang, S.; Baker, C. S. 2008. Health Assessment, Antibiotic Treatment, and Behavioral Responses to Herding Efforts of a Cow-Calf Pair of Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Sacramento River Delta, California. Aquatic Mammals 34:182-192.
  • Gulland, F. M. D. and Hall, A. J. 2007. Is marine mammal health deteriorating? Trends in the global reporting of marine mammal disease. EcoHealth 4: 135-150.
  • Hall, A.J., Gulland, F.M.D., Hammond, J.A., and Schwacke. 2010. Epidemiology, disease, and health assessment. In Marine Mammal Ecology and Conservation: A handbook of techniques. Eds. I.L. Boyd, W.D. Bowen, and S.J. Iverson. New York, Oxford University Press: 144-164.
  • Horning, M., Haulena, M., Tuomi, P.A., Mellish, J.E., Goertz, C.E., Woodie, K., Berngartt, R.K., Johnson, S., Shuert, C.R., Walker, K.A., Skinner, J.P., Boveng, P.L. 2017. Best practice recommendations for the use of fully implanted telemetry devices in pinnipeds. Animal Biotelemetry (2017) 5:13.
  • Huggins, J.L., Oliver, J., Lambourn, D.M, Calambokidis, J., Diehl, B., and Jeffries, S. 2014. Dedicated beach surveys along the Central Washington coast reveal a high proportion of unreported marine mammal strandings. Marine Mammal Science doi: 10.1111/mms.12184.
  • Huggins et al. 2010. Harbor porpoise stranding trends in Washington State. 2010. National Marine Mammal Stranding Conference, Shepardstown, WA. April 2010.
  • Huggins, Jessica L.; Warlick, Amanda; Norman, Stephanie; Olson, Jennifer; Lambourn, Dyanna M.; Gaydos, Joe; and Calambokidis, John, "Changes in Strandings of Cetaceans in Puget Sound/Salish Sea" (2018). Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference. 591.
  • Lambourn, D., D’Agnese, E., Jeffries, S., Wilkinson, K., Huggins, J., Rice, J., Duffield, D., Smith, W., Grigg, M., Raverty, S. 2015. Return of the Guadalupe fur seal to the Pacific Northwest: Stranding and sightings. 21st Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals. Dec. 13-18. San Francisco, CA.
  • Lefebvre, K.A., Quakenbush, L., Frame, E., Burek Huntington, K., Sheffield, G., Stimmelmayr, R., Bryan, A., Kendrick, P., Ziel, H., Goldstein, T., Snyder, J.A., Gelatt, T., Gulland, F., Dickerson, B., Gill, V. 2016. Prevalence of algal toxins in Alaskan marine mammals foraging in a changing arctic and subarctic environment. Harmful Algae. 55(2016): 13- 24.
  • Meyer, M.S., Rickert, S.S., Pearce, H.L., Khan, O.A., van Bonn, W., Johnson, S.P., Lahvis, G.P. 2017. Social interactions of stranded and recovering immature California sea lions (Zalophus californianus). Aquatic Animals. 43(5): 517-529.
  • Neely, B.A., Soper, J.S., Greig, D.J., Carlin, K.P., Favre, E.G., Gulland, F.M.D., Almeida, J.S., Janech, M.G. 2012. Serum profiling by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry as a diagnostic tool for domoic acid toxicosis in California sea lions. Proteome Science. 10:18, doi: 10.1186/1477-5956-10-18.
  • Norman, S.A., Huggins, J., Carpenter, T.E., Case, J.T., Lambourn, D.M., Rice, J., Calambokidis, J., Gaydon, J., Hanson, B., Duffield, D.A., et al. 2012. The application of GIS and spatiotemporal analyses to investigations of unusual marine mammal strandings and mortality events. Marine Mammal Science 28(3):E251-E266. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-7692.2011.00507.x
  • Norman, SA, A Kirkpatrick, T Neises, S Trumble, J Rice, J Huggins, D Lambourn, J Olson, V Souze, A Elsby, D Willoughby. 2017. Bone mineral density using Dual Energy Xray Absorptiometry (DXA)-a potential new technique for aging stranded cetaceans. Abstract (Proceedings) 22nd Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, Halifax, Nova Scotia, October 22-28, 2017.
  • Pasi, C, J Calambokidis, J Huggins. 2017. Health status of stranded gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) in Washington State using multiple indicators. Abstract (Proceedings) 22nd Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, Halifax, Nova Scotia, October 22-28, 2017.
  • Raverty, S., Hanson, B., Norman, S., Calambokidis, J., Lambourn, D., Jeffries, S., Hall, A., Osborne, R., and Gaydos, J. 2005. An Overview of Small Cetacean Strandings in the Pacific Northwest, 1999-2004. Society for Marine Mammalogy Annual Meeting, December 2005.
  • Raverty, S., Norman, S.A., Norberg, B., Barre, L., Gaydos, J.K., Ketten, D., Cramer, S., Fleetwood, M., McLellan, W.A., Pabst, A., Cox, T., Hanson, B., Jeffries, S., and Lambourn, D. 2005. Diagnostic Findings in Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) Stranded in Washington State between 2 May and 2 June, 2003, Coincident with the Naval USS Shoup Sonar Deployment. 36th Annual Conference of the International Association of Aquatic Animal Medicine, Seward, AK, May 2005.
  • Raverty, S. A., Gaydos, J.K., Osborne, R., Nielsen, K.H., Nielsen, O., Ross, P.S., Lambourn, D.M., Jeffries, S.,and Cameron, C.E. Diagnostic Findings of Stranded and Live Captured Marine Mammals in the Pacific Northwest, 1999 to 2004. National Marine Mammal Stranding Conference, Lansdown, VA, April 2005 and Annual Conference of the International Association of Aquatic Animal Medicine, Seward, AK, May 2005.
  • Rice, James M., Duffield, Deborah A., D'Alessandro, Dalin. The Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Poster presentation given at the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network Regional Meeting, San Pedro, CA March 24-25, 2015.
  • Rice, J.M., Duffield, D.A., D’Alessandro, D. 2011. Dramatic increase in California sea lion strandings along the Oregon coast in both 2009 and 2010. 19thBiennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals. Nov. 27- Dec. 2. Tampa Bay, FL.
  • Shuster, L, J Huggins, D Anderson, A Douglas, J Calambokidis. 2017. Common Dolphins in Washington State waters: An increase in sightings and strandings. Abstract (Proceedings) 22nd Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, Halifax, Nova Scotia, October 22-28, 2017.
  • Simeone, C. A., Gulland, F.M.D, Norris, T., Rowles, T.2015. A systematic review of changes in marine mammal health in North America, 1972-2012: The need for a novel integrated approach. PloS ONE 10(11): e0142105.
  • Sternberg, M., Gaydos, J.K., Osborne, R.W., Logsdon, M., and Klinger, T. Using shoreline attributes to improve marine mammal stranding response in San Juan County, Washington. National Marine Mammal Stranding Conference, Lansdown, VA, April 2005
  • Warlick, A.J., D.A. Duffield, D.M. Lambourn, S.J. Jeffries, J.M. Rice, J.K. Gaydos, J.L. Huggins, J. Calambokidis, L.L. Lahner, J. Olson, E. D'Agnese, V. Souze, A. Elsby, S.A. Norman. 2018. Spatio-temporal characterization of pinniped strandings and human interaction cases in the Pacific Northwest, 1991-2016. Aquatic Mammals. DOI: 10.1578/AM.44.3.2018.299
  • Wells, R.S., Fauquier, D.A., Gulland, F.M.D., Townsend, F.I., DiGiovanni, Jr., R.A. 2013. Evaluating postintervention survival of free-ranging odontocete cetaceans. Marine Mammal Science. 29(4): E463-E483
  • Zagzebski, K.A., Gulland, F.M.D., Haulena, M., Lander, M.E., Greig, D.J. , Gage, L., Hanson, M.B., Yochem, P.K., Stewart, B.S. 2006. Twenty-five years of rehabilitation of odontocetes stranded in central and northern California, 1977 to 2002. Aquatic Mammals 32(3): 334-345.

Anatomy/Physiology

How we are using the information:

  • Advances in integrative anatomic findings
  • Medical treatment
  • Experience in rehabilitation.

Papers and Major Findings/Recommendations

Diseases

How we are using the information:

  • Develop safety procedures for stranding handbook
  • Fulfill state requirements for reportable diseases
  • Target and support high priority disease testing with histopathology contract
  • Baseline information on disease prevalence to track changes due to climate change
  • Improve diagnostic tests for a more complete evaluation of tissue, blood, and other samples
  • Increase understanding of the causes of morbidity and mortality in wild marine mammals
  • Ability to screen animals to examine the prevalence of diseases in marine mammal populations that include zoonotic disease concerns for humans

Papers and Major Findings/Recommendations

Contaminants

How we are using the information:

  • Support Tech memo on contaminants in killer whales
  • Evaluate options for disposal of contaminated marine mammals
  • Track overall contaminant trends in environment
  • Better understand how contaminants affect reproduction and mortality in wild marine mammal populations

Papers and Major Findings/Recommendations

Causes of Death/Human Interaction

How we are using the information:

  • Biological opinions
  • SARs
  • Ongoing efforts to evaluate and mitigate large whale ship strike risk
  • Document entanglements
  • How to reduce future entanglement risks, emerging diseases, monitoring population dynamics and disease prevalence

Papers and Major Findings/Recommendations

  • Akmajian, Adrianne M., et al. 2012. Mortality Related to Spotted Ratfish (Hydrolagus colliei) in Pacific Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) in Washington State. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 48.4: 1057-1062. doi: 10.7589/2011-12-348
  • Allyn, E.A, Scordino, J.J (2020). Entanglement rates and haulout abundance trends of Steller (Eumetopias jubatus) and California (Zalophus californianus) sea lions on the north coast of Washington state https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0237178
  • Berman-Kowalewski, M., Gulland, F.M.D., Wilkin, S., Calambokidis, J., Mate, B., Cordaro, J., Rotstein, D., St. Leger, J., Collins, P., Fahy, K., and Dover, S. 2010. Association between Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) Mortality and Ship Strikes along the California Coast. Aquatic Mammals 36 (1) 59-66, doi: 10.1578/AM.36.1.2010.59.
  • Brock, K.A., et al. 2016. Uterine hydrops in a pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps). IAAAM.
  • Clarke, L. Z., Plourde, I.A., Gaydos, J.K., and Olson, J.K. 2016. Attempted Predation of a Harbor Seal Pup (Phoca vitulina) by an American Mink (Neovison vison) in the Salish Sea. Northwestern Naturalist, 97(3):260-262
  • Cox, T.M., Ragen, T.J., Read, A.J., Vos, E., Baird, R.W., Balcomb, K., Barlow, J., Caldwell, J., Cranford, T., Crum, L., D'Amico, A., D'Spain, G., Fernandez, A., Finneran, J., Gentry, R., Gerth, W., Gulland, F., Hildebrand, J., Houser, D., Hullar, T., Jepson, P.D., Ketten, D., MacLeod, C.D., Miller, P., Moore, S., Mountain, D.C., Palka, D., Ponganis, P., Rommel, S., Rowles, T., Taylor, B., Tyack, P., Wartzok, D., Gisiner, R., Mead, J., and Benner, L. 2006. Understanding the impacts of anthropogenic sound on beaked whales. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 7(3): 177-187.
  • D’Alessandro, D., Duffield, D., Chandler, K., Boothe, T., Rice, J.M. 2016. Human interaction challenges for the Northern Oregon/Southern Washington Marine Mammal Stranding Program. 2016 National Marine Animal Health and Stranding Network Conference. Sept 6-9. Shepherdstown, WV.
  • Danil, K. and St Leger, J.A. 2011 Seabird and Dolphin Mortality Associated with Underwater Detonation Exercises. Marine Technology Society Journal 45(6): 89-95.
  • Danil K., Chivers SJ, Carretta JV. 2011. Human interaction in stranded San Diego County cetaceans between 2001 and 2010. Southern California Marine Mammal Workshop, Newport Beach, CA, January 21-22. http://swfsc.noaa.gov/uploadedFiles/Divisions/PRD/Programs/Photogrammetry/HI2001- 2010_Poster.pdf
  • Dau, B. K., Gilardi, K.V., Gulland, F. M. D., Higgins, A., Holcomb, J. B., St. Leger, J. and Ziccardi, M. H. 2009. Fishing gear-related injury in California marine wildlife. Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 45(2): 355-362. doi: 10.7589/0090-3558-45.2.355
  • Douglas, Annie B., et al. 2008. Incidence of ship strikes of large whales in Washington State. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the UK 88.06: 1121-1132. doi: 10.1017/S0025315408000295
  • Gaydos, J. K., R. W. Osborne, S. Raverty, and R. Baird. 2005. Suspected surplus killing of harbor seal pups by killer whales. Northwestern Naturalist 86: 150-154. doi: 10.1898/1051-1733(2005)086[0150:SSKOHS]2.0.CO;2
  • Huggins, J.L., S.A. Raverty, S.A. Norman, J. Calambokidis, J.K. Gaydos, D.A. Duffield, Lambourn, D.A., Rice, J.M., Hanson, B., Wilkinson, K., Norberg, B. and Barre, L. 2015. Increased harbor porpoise mortality in the Pacific Northwest, USA: understanding when higher levels may be normal. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 115:93-102. Annual Conference of the Society for Marine Mammalogy, Cape Town, South Africa, November 2007.
  • Huggins, J.L., Leahy, C.L., Calambokidis, J., Lambourn, D., Jeffries, S.J., Norman, S.A., Raverty, S. 2013. Causes and patterns of harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) mortality at Smith Island, Washington, 2004-2010. Northwestern Naturalist 94:198-208.
  • Jacobsen, J.K., Massey, L., and Gulland, F. 2010. Fatal ingestion of floating marine debris by two sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus). Marine Pollution Bulletin 60:765- 767.
  • Jepson, PD., Barbieri M, Barco SG, Bernaldo de Quiros, Bogomolni A, Danil K, and Rowles T. 2013. Peracute underwater entrapment of pinnipeds and cetaceans. In Criteria and case definitions for serious injury and death of pinnipeds and cetaceans caused by anthropogenic trauma. Edited by Moore MJ, van der Hoop J, Barco SG, Costidis AM, Gulland FM, Jepson PD, Moore KT, Raverty S and McLellan WA.. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms, 103: 235-39 doi: 10.3354/dao02566
  • Lambourn, D., Raverty, S., Jeffries, S., Calambokidis, J., Garner, M., Gaydos, J., Miller, M., and Conrad, P. Causes of Mortality in Pinnipeds of Washington State during 2004. 2005 Puget Sound Georgia Basin Research Conference, Seattle, WA, March 2005.
  • Lee, K., and Duffield, D. 2013. GIS analysis of California sea lion and Steller sea lion mortality on the Oregon and southern Washington coasts, 2006-2012. 20th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals. Dec. 9-13, Dunedin, NZ.
  • Melin, S.R., Orr, A.J., Harris, J.D., Laake, J.L., DeLong, R.L., Gulland, F.M.D., and Stoudt, S. 2010. Unprecedented mortality of California sea lion pups associated with anomalous oceanographic conditions along the central California coast in 2009. CalCOFI Reports. 51:182-194.
  • Moore, M.J., van der Hoop, J., Barco, S. G., Costidis, A. M., Gulland, F. M., Jepson, P.D., Moore, K. T., Raverty, S., McLellan, W. A. 2013. Criteria and case definitions for serious injury and death of pinnipeds and cetaceans caused by anthropogenic trauma. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. Vol. 103: 229-264.
  • Moore K, Gulland F, Berman M, Cabrera E, Danil K, Hall L. 2013. Gunshot injuries of pinnipeds and cetaceans. In Criteria and case definitions for serious injury and death of pinnipeds and cetaceans caused by anthropogenic trauma. Edited by Moore MJ, Van der Hoop J, Barco SG, Costidis AM, Gulland FM, Jepson PD, Moore KT, Raverty S and McLellan WA. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. 103: 256-62 doi: 10.3354/dao02566
  • Moore, E., Lyday, S., Roletto, J., Litle, K., Parrish, J.K., Nevins, H., Harvey, J., Mortenson, J., Greig, D., Piazza, M., Hermace, A., Lee, D., Adams, D., Allen, S., and Kell, S. 2009. Entanglements of marine mammals and seabirds in central California and the north-west coast of the United States 2001-2005. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 58: 1045-1051.
  • Olson, J. K. and Gaydos, J. K. 2016. Prevalence of propeller strike related mortality in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) from San Juan County, WA
  • Olson, J.K, D. Lambourn, J. Huggins, S. Raverty, A.A. Scott, J. K. Gaydos. 2021. Trends in propeller strike induced mortality in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) of the Salish Sea. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 57(3). https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-20-00221
  • Maclean R. A., Imai D., Dold, C., Haulena, M. and Gulland, F. M. D. 2008. Persistent right aortic arch and cribriform plate aplasia in a northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris). Journal of Wildlife Diseases 44(2): 499-504. doi: 10.7589/0090-3558-44.2.499
  • Raverty, S., Huggins, J., Calambokidis, J., Wilkinson, K., Barre, L., Norberg, B., Lambourn, D., Gaydos, J., Norman, S., Rice, J., Duffield, D., Ford, J., Hanson, B. 2008 Post mortem findings of an unusual mortality event of harbor porpoises in the northeastern Pacific, 2006-2007. Presented to the American College of Veterinary Pathologists Meeting, November, 2008.
  • Raverty, S., B. Hanson, S. Norman, A. Hall, and J. Gaydos. 2005. Post mortem findings in small cetacean strandings in the Pacific Northwest, 1999-2004. Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre Newsletter 11(1): 12.
  • Rice, J.M, Duffield, D.A. and D’Alessandro, D. 2016. Morbidity and mortality in Marine Mammals along the Oregon and Southern Washington coasts, 2006-2015. 2016 National Marine Animal Health and Stranding Network Conference. Sept 6-9. Shepherdstown, WV. 21st Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals. Dec. 13-18. San Francisco, CA
  • Rice, J.M., Duffield, D.A., Barros, N.B., D’Alessandro, D. 2010. Morbidity and mortality in marine mammals along the Oregon and Southern Washington coasts. National Marine Animal Health and Stranding Network Conference. April 6-9. Shepherdstown, West Virginia. West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network Regional Meeting, San Pedro, CA March 24, 2015. Poster presentation to be given to the 18th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, Quebec City, Canada, Oct. 2009.
  • Rice, J.M. A capture cage for entangled sea lions. Poster presentation given at the National Marine Animal Health and Stranding Network Conference, Shepherdstown, West Virginia, April 5-9, 2010.
  • Rice, J.M., Duffield, D.A., and Barros, N.B. 2009. Morbidity and mortality in marine mammals along the Oregon and southern Washington coasts. 18th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals. 12-16 Oct. Quebec City, QC, Canada.
  • Rockwood R.C., Calambokidis J., Jahncke J. (2017) High mortality of blue, humpback and fin whales from modeling of vessel collisions on the U.S. West Coast suggests population impacts and insufficient protection. PLoS ONE 12(8): e0183052. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183052
  • St. Leger, J. and Nilson, E. 2014. Intestinal atresia in a harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) and a review of congenital conditions of the species. Aquatic Mammals 40(2): 201-206. doi: 10.1578/AM.40.2.2014.207
  • Tinker M.T., B.B. Hatfield, M.D. Harris, and J.A. Ames. 2015. Dramatic increase in sea otter mortality from white sharks in California. Marine Mammal Science 32 (1) 309-326; doi: 10.1111/mms.12261
  • Warlick, A., Duffield, D., Lambourn, D., Jeffries, S., Rice, J., Gaydos, J., Huggins, J., Calambokidis, J., Lahner, L., Olson, J., D'Agnese, E., Souze, V., Elsby, E., and Norman, S. Spatio-Temporal Characterization of Pinniped Strandings and Human Interaction Cases in the Pacific Northwest, 1989 –2016. Submitted for publication to Marine Ecology Progress Series, August 2017.
  • Whitaker, A.R. 2008. The Role of Human Predation in the Structuring of Prehistoric Prey Populations in Northwestern California. Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis.
  • Williams, R., Gero, S., Bejder, L., Calambokidis, J., Kraus, S.D., Lusseau, D., Read, A.J., and Robbins, J. 2011. Underestimating the damage: interpreting cetacean carcass recoveries in the context of the Deepwater Horizon/BP incident. Conservation Letters 4: 228-233. doi: 10.1111/j.1755-263X.2011.00168.x

Unusual Mortality Events

How we are using the information:

  • Evaluate past and future UMEs,
  • Evaluate environmental factors including climate change, harmful algal blooms/biotoxins, limited food source (other causes of UME’s include infections, human interactions, and malnutrition)
  • Contribute to national perspective on UMEs throughout the United States and affecting all marine mammal groups

Papers and Major Findings/Recommendations

  • Gulland, F. 2013. Gray whale strandings, health evaluations and an unusual mortality event in 1999-2000. Journal of the American Cetacean Society. 42(1): 47-51.
  • Huggins, Jessica L., et al. 2015. Increased harbor porpoise mortality in the Pacific Northwest, USA: understanding when higher levels may be normal. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 115:93-102. doi: 10.3354/dao02887
  • Lambourn, D, et al. 2009. 2007-2009 Pacific Northwest Guadalupe Fur Seal (Arctocephalus townsendi) Unusual Mortality Event (UME) Summary Report. Oral presentation given to the National Marine Animal Health and Stranding Network Conference, Shepherdstown, West Virginia, April 5-9, 2010.
  • McClatchie S, Field J,Thompson AR, Gerrodette T, Lowry M, Fiedler PC, Watson W, Nieto KM, Vetter RD. 2016 Food limitation of sea lion pups and the decline of forage off central and southern California. R. Soc. open sci. 3: 150628. doi: 10.1098/rsos.150628
  • Norman, S.A., Huggins, J., Carpenter, T.E., Case, J.T., Lambourn, D.M., Rice, J., Calambokidis, J., Gaydon, J., Hanson, B., Duffield, D.A., et al. 2012. The application of GIS and spatiotemporal analyses to investigations of unusual marine mammal strandings and mortality events. Marine Mammal Science 28(3):E251-E266. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-7692.2011.00507.x
  • Raverty, S., J. Huggins, J. Calambokidis, K. Wilkinson, L. Barre, B. Norberg, D. Lambourn, J. Gaydos, S. Norman, J. Rice, D. Duffield, J. Ford, and B. Hanson. 2008. Post mortem findings of an unusual mortality event of harbor porpoises in the Northeastern Pacific, 2006-2007. 2008 Meeting of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, San Antonio, Texas, November 2008.
  • Torres de la Riva, G., Kreuder Johnson, C., Gulland, F.M.D., Langlois, G.W., Heyning, J.E., Rowles, T.K., and Mazet, J.A.K. 2009. Association of an unusual marine mammal mortality event with Pseudo-nitzschia spp. blooms along the southern California coastline. Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 45(1): 109-121.
  • Wilkin, S.M., J. Cordaro, F. M. D. Gulland, E. Wheeler, R. Dunkin, T. Sigler, D. Casper, M. Berman, M. Flannery, S. Fire, Z. Wang, K. Colegrove, and J. Baker. 2012. An Unusual Mortality Event of Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) Off Central California: Increase in Blunt Trauma rather than an Epizootic. Aquatic Mammals 38 (3) 301-310 doi: 10.1578/AM.38.3.2012.301.

Southern Resident Killer Whales

How we are using the information: funding to develop and implement killer whale disease testing and necropsy protocol (updated 2014), inform SRKW health workshop and priorities (2015-current), better understand distribution/range and make more informed decisions for critical habitat.

Papers and Major Findings/Recommendations

  • Barbieri, Michelle M., et al. 2013. Spatial and temporal analysis of killer whale (Orcinus orca) strandings in the North Pacific Ocean and the benefits of a coordinated stranding response protocol. Marine Mammal Science 29.4: E448-E462. doi: 10.1111/mms.12044
  • D’Alessandro, D., Duffield, D.A., Raverty, S., Gaydos, J.K, Lambourn, D., Huggins, J., Calambokidis, J., Mcklveen, T., Dennison, S., Norberg, B., Wilkinson, K., Barre, L., Hanson,B., Foreman, P., Traxler, A., Brubaker, H. 2013. Stranding evaluation of southern resident killer whale L-112, by the Northwest Marine Mammal Stranding Network. 20th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals. Dec. 9-13, Dunedin, NZ.
  • Duffield, D., Gaydos, J.J., Raverty, S., Wilkinson, K., Norberg, B., Barre, L., Hanson, B., Foreman, P., Traxler, A., Lambourn, D., Huggins, J., Calambokidis, J., McKlveen, T., Dennison, S., Brubaker, H. 2015. Wild Animal Mortality Investigation: Southern Resident Killer Whale L-112. Final Report. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NWFSC.
  • Duffield, D.A., D’Alessandro, D., Raverty, S., Gaydos, J.K., Lambourn, D., Huggins, J., Calambokidis, J., Mcklveen, T., Dennison, S., Norberg, B., Wilkinson, K., Barre, L., Hanson, B., Foreman, P., Traxler, A., Brubaker, H. 2013. Stranding evaluation of southern resident killer whale L-112, by the Northwest Marine Mammal Stranding Network. 44th Annual IAAAM Conference. April 21-26. Sausalito, CA
  • Gaydos, Joseph K., et al. 2004. Evaluating potential infectious disease threats for southern resident killer whales, Orcinus orca : a model for endangered species. Biological Conservation 117.3 : 253-262. doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2003.07.004
  • Matkin, C. O, Moore, M. J., Gulland, F.M.D. 2017. Review of Recent Research on Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) to Detect Evidence of Poor Body Condition in the Population. Independent Science Panel Report to the SeaDoc Society. 3 pp. + Appendices. doi 10.1575/1912/8803.
  • Raverty, S., Duffield, D., Hanson, B., Barre, L., Lambourn, D., Huggins, J., Goldstein, T., Gaydos, J. 2012. Presumptive congenital gastric herniation in a neonatal killer whale (Orcinus orca) stranded in Washington, USA. 43rd Annual IAAAM Conference. May 12-16. Atlanta, GA.
  • Raverty, S. A., Gaydos, J.K., Hanson, B.,and Wong, S. 2005. An Overview of Post Mortem Findings of Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) Stranded 1994-2003. American College of Veterinary Pathologist Annual Meeting, November 2005.

Efficacy of Rehabilitation

How we are using the information: support for limited rehab policies, conduct post-release monitoring of rehabilitated animals to evaluate the success of the rehabilitation process (this data is collected via the rehabilitation disposition form and continued research studies). Rehabilitation of marine mammals allows Stranding Network partners to receive handling and rehabilitation experience especially if needed to intervene and rehabilitate an ESA listed species.

Papers and Major Findings/Recommendations

Biology (Diet, Movement, Ecology, Conservation)

Papers and Major Findings/Recommendations

  • Allen, Sarah with M. Flannery. “Orcas of the California Coast.” Bay Nature January to March 2014: 24-31. Print.
  • Ashley, E. A., J. K. Olson, T. E. Adler, S. Raverty, E. M. Anderson, S. Jeffries, and J. K. Gaydos. 2020. Causes of mortality in a harbor seal population at equilibrium. Frontiers in Marine Science 7:319. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2020.00319
  • Busquets-Vass G, Newsome SD, Calambokidis J, Serra-Valente G, Jacobsen JK, Aguíñiga-García S, et al. (2017) Estimating blue whale skin isotopic incorporation rates and baleen growth rates: Implications for assessing diet and movement patterns in mysticetes. PLoS ONE 12(5): e0177880. 10.1371/journal.pone.0177880
  • Cooley, L.A., E.H. Nicholson, J.T. Harvey, and B.I. McDonald. The Talking Dead: Insights from Twenty Years of Marine Mammal Stranding Response in Monterey County, California. Western Society of Naturalists Annual Meeting, virtual event, November 2020.
  • D'Agnese E.R, D.M. Lambourn, J. Rice, et al. Reemergence of Guadalupe fur seals in the U.S. Pacific Northwest: The epidemiology of stranding events during 2005–2016. Mar Mam Sci. 2020;1–18. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12678
  • Elliser, C.R., J. Calambokidis, D.N. D'Alessandro, D.A. Duffield, J.L. Huggins, J. Rice, I. Szczepaniak, and M. Webber. 2020. Prey-Related Asphyxiation in Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) along the U.S. West Coast: Importance of American Shad (Alosa sapidissima) on Adult Female Harbor Porpoise Mortality. Oceans 2020 1(3), 94-113. doi: 10.3390/oceans1030008
  • Flannery, Moe. 2020. "Dead Whales Do Tell Tales" Public lecture at the Sequoias Portola Valley about CAS/TMMC large whale stranding response.
  • Ford, J.K.B, E.H. Stredulinsky, G.M. Ellis, J.W. Durban, and J.F. Pilkington. 2014. Offshore Killer Whales in Canadian Pacific Waters: Distribution, Seasonality, Foraging Ecology, Population Status and Potential for Recovery. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc.2014/088. vii + 55 p.
  • Newsome, S.D., J. D. Yeakel, P.V. Wheatley, and M.T. Tinker. 2012. Tools for quantifying isotopic niche space and dietary variation at the individual and population level. Journal of Mammalogy: 93 (2) 329-341; doi: 10.1644/11-MAMM-S-187.1.
  • Newsome, S.D., P.L. Koch, M.A. Etnier, and D. Aurioles-Gamboa. 2006. Using carbon and nitrogen isotope values to investigate maternal strategies in northeast Pacific Otariids. Marine Mammal Science 22(3):556-572; doi: 10.1111/j.1748-7692.2006.00043.x.
  • Norman, S. A., B. Hanson, J. Huggins, D. Lambourn, J. Calambokidis, P. Cottrell, A. Greene, S. Raverty, S. Berta, S. Dubpernell, M. Klope, J. Olson, S. J. Jeffries, M. Carrasco, V. Souze, A. Elsby, C. McLean, B. Carlson, C. Emmons, J. Gaydos. 2018. Conception, fetal growth, and calving seasonality of harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the Salish Sea waters of Washington State, USA and southern British Columbia, Canada. Canadian Journal of Zoology. doi: 10.1139/cjz-2017-0155.
  • Olson, J., J. Aschoff, A. Goble, and J. K. Gaydos. 2020. Maximizing surveillance through spatial characterization of marine mammal stranding hot spots. Marine Mammal Science 1-14. doi: 10.1111/mms.12696
  • Orr, A.J., Norris, T.A., Galvez, C., Deming, A.C., Elorriaga-Verplancken, F.R. 2018. First extralimital record of an Eastern Pacific harbor seal (Phoca vitulina richardii) pup at Guadalupe Island, Mexico. Aquatic Mammals. 44(3): 279-284 DOI: 10.1578/AM.44.3.2018.279.
  • Parsons, E.C.M., Baulch, S., Bechshoft, T., Bellazzi, G., Bouchet, P., Cosentino, A.M., Goddard-Codding, C.A.J., Gulland, F., Hoffmann-Kuhnt, M., Hoyt, E., Livermore, S., MacLeod, C.D., Matrai, E., Munger, L., Ochiai, M., Peyman, A., Recalde-Salas, A., Regnery, R., Rojas-Bracho, L., Salgado-Kent, C.P., Slooten, E., Wang, J.Y., Wilson, S.C., Wright, A.J., Young, S., Zwamborn, E., Sutherland, W.J. 2015. Key research questions of global importance for cetacean conservation. Endanger Species Research. 27: 113-118.
  • Whitaker, A.R. and W.R. Hildebrandt. 2011. Why Were Northern Fur Seals Spared in Northern California? A Cultural and Archaeological Explanation. In The Archaeology and Historical Ecology of Seals, Sea Lions, and Sea Otters of the North Pacific, edited by Torben Rick and Todd Braje, pp. 197-219. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA; doi: 10.1525/California/9780520267268.001.0001.

Last updated by West Coast Regional Office on 04/14/2025

Marine Mammal Strandings