Strandings of marine mammals are always an unusual occurrence. Whether the animals are living or dead, these events require the input of many services and people. Techniques can be implemented to protect the animals, stabilise them, transport them, or -when they are dead- dispose of them properly. Technical coordination on the beach is therefore an important factor for success. The paper examines the various possible types of strandings and the different methods of intervention

Tavernier, J.

Open Marine Archive

BULLETIN DE L'INSTITUT ROYAL DPS SCIENCES NATURELLES DE BELGIQUE BIOLOGIE, 67-SUPPL 115-118, 1997 
BULLETIN VAN HET KONINKLIJK BELGISCH INSTITUUT VOOR NATUURWETENSCHAPPEN BIOLOGIE, 67-SUPPL 115-118, 1997 
Marine mammal strandings: 
by Jan TA VERNIER 
Abstract 
Strandings of marine mammals are always an unusual occurrence 
Whether the animals are living or dead, these events require the input 
of many services and people Techniques can be implemented to 
protect the animals, stabilise them, transport them or - when they are 
dead - dispose of them properly Technical co-ordination on the beach 
IS therefore an important factor for success The paper examines the 
various possible types of strandings and the different methods of 
intervention 
Keywords: marine mammals, stranding, intervention techniques, co-
ordination. 
Résumé 
L'échouage de mammifères marins est toujours un evenement inhabi-
tuel Que les animaux soient vivant ou morts, de tels événements 
réclament 1'intervention de nombre de services et de personnes Des 
techniques peuvent être utilisées pour proteger les animaux, les stabi-
liser, les déplacer ou - s'ils sont morts - les évacuer convenablement. 
La coordination technique sur place est par conséquent un important 
facteur de succes L'article passé en revue les différents types 
d'echouage et les différentes methodes d'intervention. 
Mots-clés: mammifères marins, echouage, techniques d'intervention, 
coordination. 
Introduction 
Strandings of marine mammals are always an unusual 
occurrence. Whether the animals are live or dead, they 
require the involvement of many departments and people. 
Technical co-ordination on the beach is therefore an 
important factor. The Belgian intervention network for 
stranded animals has acquired some experience in these 
matters, particularly since the stranding of four sperm 
whales in 1994. We shall examine here the different 
methods of intervention in relation to the various possible 
types of stranding. 
Report of small marine mammals stranded alive 
Various species of dolphins, porpoises, and seals may 
strand alive. The technical co-ordinator is notified 
control on site 
^5F 
through the network. He immediately contacts the local 
emergency services (fire brigade) and asks them to come 
as quickly as possible to give protection to the animal and 
to keep it wet. He then informs the veterinarian on call 
who assists and directs the members of the intervention 
network on site. An intervention network should have 
specially equipped tanks for the transport of live mam-
mals (Fig. 1): 
• a small tank for porpoises (in our case loaned to us by 
the Harderwijk Dolphinarium), 
• a large tank for bottle-nose dolphins, white-beaked 
dolphins etc., (loaned to us by the Bruges Dolphinar-
ium), 
• a medical kit (donated to us on a sponsorship basis by 
Bayer s.a./n.v. Animal Health Division). 
Once the animal has been stabilised, it can be transfer-
red to a central point, e.g. the Marine Fishery Research 
Station or the Management Unit of the North Sea Math-
ematical Model laboratory in Ostend. The technical co-
ordinator can contact the Harderwijk Dolphinarium, in 
consultation with various bodies such as the Flemish 
Administration for Environment, Nature Conservation 
and Land Management (AMINAL), the Federal office 
for scientific, technical and cultural affairs and the Man-
agement Unit of the North Sea and Scheldt Estuary 
Mathematical Models (MUMM) to arrange for transpor-
tation of the animal to the Rescue Centre. 
Report of a small mammal stranded dead 
The technical co-ordinator receives the report and imme-
diately asks the nearest police or gendarmerie unit to 
guard the animal. Various animals have disappeared from 
the beach in the past. These animals were taken away by 
persons unknown. It is of the utmost importance for 
scientific research that as few animals as possible be lost. 
The technical co-ordinator informs the various bodies, 
including the Department of Coastal Waterways and the 
stranding intervention network, and then attends the 
scene. At the scene he makes sure of the condition of 
116 JanTAVERNIER 
Fig 1 Equipment available at MUMM, the maruK mandgtmciu unit ol the Royal BLlguiii InsmuK. ol NdUiral Sciences in Ostend, 
for intervention in the case of strandmgs of a small cetaceans (courtesy of MUMM) 
Fig 2 - Sperm whale stranding in Koksijde Belgium 18 November 1994 protection fences being installed at ebb-tide (aerial 
photograph courtesy of MUMM) 
Marine mammal strandings; technical control on site 117 
Fig. 3 - Sperm whale on Koksijde beach, properly fenced off (courtesy Municipality ul Koksydcj. 
Fig. 4 - Removal of the remaining carcass for disposal (courtesy Municipality of Koksijde). 
118 lanTAVERNIER 
the animal and arranges for the necessary transport to the 
appropriate laboratory, university or institute for further 
research 
In the past, the services of Civil Protection were often 
called upon To date, the Civil Protection has always been 
willing to attend day and night with appropriate and 
specialised equipment to salvage the carcasses and trans-
fer them to the research institution for necropsy 
The technical co-ordinator also keeps the various inter-
ested parties informed about the stranding A press re-
lease is drawn up with the scientific co-ordinator 
Report of large marine mammals washed ashore alive 
These types of event are rare Death usually occurs im-
mediately after the animal is washed ashore, due to 
suffocation on the beach Towing the animal back to 
the sea raises many questions as to whether it is scienti-
fically justified or technically feasible 
Report of large marine mammals stranded dead 
After the message is received by the technical co-ordi-
nator, he immediately alerts the intervention network and 
all the services concerned with marine mammals He 
immediately goes to the scene and begins consultations 
with the local authorities (the municipality) The munici-
pality, in consultation with the technical co-ordinator, 
arranges for the guarding of the animal In consultation 
with the burgomaster everything is made ready for the 
commencement of scientific investigation The technical 
co-ordinator attends to various matters such as the fol-
lowing 
• The problem of accessibility to the stranding site It 
may be necessary for heavy equipment to be brought 
onto the beach 
• Safety he makes sure that the animal is secured so that 
It does not start to drift away at the next high tide and 
therefore pose a hazard to navigation 
• Intervention he calls up the scientific teams and inter-
vention network and takes actions required in advance 
of necropsy for ensuring that all the equipment arrives 
on scene 
• Security makes sure that barriers are placed around the 
animal (Figs 2 & 3), so that tourists or sightseers can 
look at the animal from a safe distance (since the cause 
of death has not yet been established and a risk of 
infection exists for people and animals) 
• Expediting in consultation with the proper authorities, 
he ensures that scientific research can be carried out as 
quickly as possible For this purpose, he makes sure 
that all the facilities are present to make the research 
operations run as smoothly as possible Consideration 
IS given here to 
- the necessary lighting (fire brigade or Civil Protec-
tion unit) 
- the equipment for taking away the entrails and the 
waste (cranes, bulldozers, etc , via contractor or 
Civil Protection) 
- the equipment for transporting all the waste (non-
leaking containers or lorries) 
- the safety of scientists during the necropsy 
• In consultation with the local authorities and the 
authorised services he ensures that the carcass is taken 
away (Fig 4), observing all practical hygiene and 
safety precautions 
This complete technical co-ordination on the beach 
proceeds in consultation with the scientific co-ordinator 
Finally, the technical co-ordinator also co-operates 
with this scientific co-ordinator on the press release 
which at an appropriate time is distributed to interested 
parties 
The difficulties associated with such an undertaking 
are not to be underestimated Taking account of tide and 
darkness and the fact that necropsies must be carried out 
as quickly as possible, it is particularly difficult to get the 
required equipment to the scene on time 
Conclusion 
Technical co-ordination is an important and necessary 
task on the beach because the scientific research should 
be able to proceed as smoothly as possible and under 
optimum conditions It is only when the safety and tech-
nical requirements have been met that the scientists 
can adequately proceed with their work When the animal 
IS still alive. Its chances of survival depend on sound 
decisions, co-ordinated action, and the availability of 
the necessary technical means Here too, the presence 
of the technical co-ordinator may be essential for suc-
cess 
Jan TAVERNIER 
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences 
Vautierstraat 29 
B-1000 Brussels 


Marine mammal strandings: technical control on site

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