ANNAPOLIS, Maryland. – The Maryland Department of Natural Resources asks residents and visitors using coastal and tidal waters to be alert for marine mammals and sea turtles through late summer and early fall. Dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, whales and other marine animals 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 asked to report it through the Maryland Natural Resources Police hotline (800-628-9944) or use a simple online form to report dead marine mammals or sea turtles. Anglers, boaters and beachgoers should be especially on the lookout for stranded, dead, sick, injured or entangled animals.
Since 1990, Maryland’s Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Response Program has responded to reports of more than 1,400 strandings along Maryland’s 3,200-mile coastline.
“Our responsibility is to respond to calls regarding deceased marine mammals and sea turtles,” said Amanda Weschler, Stranding Response Program coordinator. “While marine animal deaths can be a harsh reality, each 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 turtles
- 3 Grey seals
- 2 Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles
- 1 unknown balaenopterid (unidentified large whale skull)
- Isolated cases of harbour porpoises, harp seals, humpback whales and striped dolphins
The Standing Response Program supports federal regulations such as the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act that protect these marine species. By conducting necropsies on stranded marine mammals and sea turtles, the program collects important data on the health of individual animals, the status of coastal populations, and the overall health of Maryland’s marine environment.
A necropsy is a comprehensive examination of an animal’s body, similar to an autopsy in humans, to determine the cause of death. This process includes the removal of organ samples and diagnostic tissue analysis. Marine mammals strand for a variety of reasons, including old age, disease, severe injury (collision with a ship), predators, entanglement in fishing nets, and parasitic infestation.
Due to factors such as decomposition, resource availability, and accessibility and safety of the stranding site, not all reported animals are suitable for necropsy. In cases where necropsy is not possible, Stranding Response Program staff record details of the case and bodies are often left at the stranding site to decompose naturally, benefiting the ecosystem. Alternative disposal methods include on-site burial or transportation to designated disposal facilities, depending on the circumstances and local regulations. A list of relevant contacts for persons seeking disposal assistance is available on the DNR website.
The department urges anyone who encounters a stranded animal, whether alive or dead, to maintain a safe and respectful distance and to record details, including photographs, and attach them to a report.
