Central Puget Sound
Marine Mammal Stranding Network
Touching this endearing little seal pup will virtually assure its death.
seal pup waiting for its mom
Copyright © 2007 Sandy Dubpernell
Mom has deliberately left it on the beach while she is out to sea feeding. She will eventually return to nurse her baby. Too much human interference may cause her to abandon her pup.
Approaching too closely to the pup, pouring water on it, attempting to feed it or remove it from the beach is unsafe for you and the pup, and is illegal.
Keep yourself and your dog at a safe distance - at least 100 feet away.Who We Are
The Central Puget Sound Marine Mammal Stranding Network (CPSMMSN) is a partnership between WSU Beach Watchers, the Orca Network, wildlife veterinarians and biologists under the auspices of the National Marine Fisheries Service. The Network is part of the regional stranding network established by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA)/NMFS under the marine Mammal Protection Act.
| To report stranded marine mammals | |
|---|---|
|
The Orca Network:
1-866-ORCANET 360-661-3739(cell) | Sandy Dubpernell:
360-678-3765 360-593-4319(cell) |
What we do
-
Respond to reports of dead and stranded marine mammals on the beach
elephant seal - molting
Copyright © 2007 Sandy Dubpernell
Young elephant seals often rest for days on our beaches during the molting process. They appear lethargic and sickly with skin sloughing off in patches.
Stay away at least 50 yards and let them complete this perfectly natural process without disturbance.
- Act as liaison between government agencies and the general public
- Collect data for the National Marine Fisheries Service via photographs and written reports which become part of a national data base to monitor changes in coastal marine ecosystems.
- Collect specimens for research, testing and educational displays
-
dead whale on the beach
Copyright © 2007 Sandy Dubpernell
Perform necropsies on all species noted under Unusual Mortality Events, plus many others
Occasionally a dead gray whale washes up on our beach. Although most seem to die of starvation, a full necropsy is performed, on site, to collect tissue samples for further testing to determine if there are other factors leading to the death of these gentle giants.
- Provide public education and safety information to avoid adverse reactions between people, pets and marine mammals.
- Explain to the public when it is in the best interest of the animal to euthanize, attempt rescue or simply let nature take its course.
For more information
See http://www.orcanetwork.org/strandings.html.More Info
item of interest