One of our marine mammal biologists, Anna Panike, helped rescue a live baby dolphin stranded in the surf at Redington Beach on July 4. It was eventually taken to Clearwater Marine Aquarium for treatment, but there were reports of the public improperly handling the animal when it was first found. If a member of the public finds a stranded marine mammal in the wild, here are some National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) dos and donts in case youre involved in a future stranding situation: Dos: 1. Contact the NOAA SE Region Stranding Network 24-hour hotline by calling 1-877-942-5343. You can also call the FWC Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922. 2. Stay with the animal until trained responders arrive, but use caution. 3. Splash water over the animals body to keep it moist and cool. 4. Keep crowds and pets away from the animal, and noise levels down. 5. Report dead marine mammals, even if they are decomposed. Donts: 1. Dont push the animal back out to sea. 2. Dont attempt to swim with it. 3. Dont cover or obstruct the blowhole with sand, water or other debris. 4. Dont collect any parts (tissues, teeth, bones) from dead marine mammals.
Posted on: Tue, 08 Jul 2014 15:39:44 +0000
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