ORCA IRELAND Marine Mammal Response VOLUNTEER NETWORK TRAINING
Executive Summary:
HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374 .
Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA Ireland) is a “for-impact” volunteer organisation committed to monitoring and minimising disturbance to marine wildlife in Irish waters, through education, research and using the latest technologies to enhance marine conservation. -
-
Established in 2017 - scientists, naturalists, eco-tour operators, members of the public Over 300 Members 12K followers across social media Released over 250 blogs on scientific articles on our website Have ran over 150 events - public talks, land-based watches, whale watching, school visits, beach cleans and more - MMBM Observers App - citizen science - over 100 users
Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG): 678431) awaiting CH number.
Aristotle
3
AGENDA INTRODUCTION…………………………5. -
History of Strandings…………….6. Causes of Strandings……………..7. Strandings in Ireland……………..8.
TYPES OF STRANDINGS………………...9.
FIRST RESPONSE PROCEDURE…………...23. -
First Response Reporting…………..25. Stranding Evaluation……………….26.. First Response……………………...27. Refloating…………………………..30. Response Team……………………..31. Response Equipment……………….32.
Live Strandings………………….13 ON-SITE ASSESSMENT…………………….33. CITIZEN SCIENCE……………………….14. Finding a Stranded Cetacean……15. Report a Stranding………………16.
-
Breathing Indices…………………..35. Physical Examination……………...36. Cetacean Carcass Condition Codes..40. Pinniped Carcass Condition Codes...41. First Responder Recording Forms...42.
STRANDING TRENDS…………………. 18. POST MORTEM ANALYSIS STRANDING RESPONSE PROTOCOL…19. Case Study 1…………………….20. Case Study 2…………………….21.
-
Carcass recovery & Storage Lab Equipment Gross Examination Sample Collection & PM Procedure
4
INTRODUCTION: THE WHY!
HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374.
37% of all marine mammals are at a risk of extinction.
25%
of marine mammal species
are listed as ‘threatened.
-
48% of Ireland’s wildlife = marine
mammals.
- 1
⁄3
world’s cetacean species found
here in Ireland! ecology and habitat use. Global biological conservation priority [1,2,3].
5
HISTORY OF STRANDINGS IN IRELAND -
Stranded whales of great importance in Medieval times.
-
Ireland and the U.K. hold one of the longest long-term time series of stranding records.
-
Published stranding records of cetaceans in Ireland date back to the 1800s.
-
Increase in reports from 1990 to 2014. Likely an increase in citizen science, public awareness, extreme weather events and human impacts.
-
The first record of a stranded whale in Ireland dates back to July 1295, which led to the pleadings of a case in Co. Kerry of Robert de Clohulle who was charged with having appropriated a whale to his own use "in prejudice of the Crown" (Cal. Just. Rolls Ire.., 1295 1303, pages 29, 54-5). Robert refuted the charge, stating that by Irish ancient custom in Ireland "such great whales are reported wreck of the sea", a right which his father had before him. In September of 1295, William Macronan is reported to have made a fine for "a certain great whale" of two cows and 10 shillings, highlighting the value of a stranded whale.
6
CAUSES OF STRANDINGS
-
Natural or anthropogenic
-
100,000 small cetaceans die as by-catch in fishing nets
-
Ship Noise - 40 - 60 Hz (Tasker et al., 2014).
-
Acute Noise pollution = mass strandings of deep diving or highly social species.
HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374.
7
Strandings in Ireland: HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374. Keaveney et al., (unpublished data) examined the effect of extreme weather events on cetacean strandings from 1990 - 2014.
Long-term monitoring Records and necropsy analysis Provide important info Increase in the number of reports Stranding = invaluable opportunities- Population status Death assemblages/minimum measure of at sea mortality
- Increase in common dolphin strandings, affected by wind speed. -Increase in extreme weather events.
Most interesting find: Decrease in Atlantic white-sided dolphin strandings between 1990 - 2014.
8
Types of Stranding Events:
HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374.
Stranding events natural phenomena that have occurred for centuries and the mechanisms behind these events, in many instances, remain one of the great mysteries of the animal kingdom.
9
10
HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374.
Types of Stranding Events: Mass strandings or unusual mortality events (UMEs) refer to simultaneous standings of two or more cetaceans of the same species, other than a mother and calf, and simultaneous strandings of two or more cetaceans from mixed species groups.
Generally mass strandings are associated with toothed whales, particularly pilot whales and beaked whales. Mass strandings may occur for a variety of reasons, among them, are behavioural tendencies in some species to follow a “leader”, extreme weather events and geomorphological distortion of echolocation signals due to shallow sloping topography, known as acoustical “dead zones”.
However, overall causes for strandings are often inconclusive and vary in explanatory power based upon the number of stranded individuals, the area of stranding, in addition to conspicuous anthropogenic implications (e.g. seismic surveys, pile driving, by-catch and ship-strikes).
Over a period of six weeks from the 3rd of August 2018 to the 12th of September 2018, 21 Cuvier's beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) were reported to the Observers App stranded along the Irish coastline from Co. Mayo to Co. Donegal and Co. Antrim.
Pilot whales mass stranding at Golden Bay, in New Zealand February 2021. Image by Louisa Hawkes/ Project Jonah.
11
Types of Stranding Events: HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374.
DEAD STRANDED: Various stages of decomposition. LIVE STRANDED: Alive but in a helpless position, for example one that has come ashore because it is ill, weak or disorientated. MASS STRANDING: Mass stranding events include beachings alive or dead, of more than one individual of the same species over a short period of time. UME’s - UNUSUAL MORTALITY EVENT: involve a mass stranding of mixed species over a short period of time. One notable unusual mortality event (UME) resulted in more than 80 Cuvier's beaked whales stranded between Ireland, Iceland and Scotland, in addition to one sperm whale and one northern bottlenose whale in Iceland and another northern-bottlenose whale in Norway in August 2018. Sperm whale. Image by Amanda Doherty August 2018. Co. Donegal.
12
Live Strandings
HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374.
Difficult to explain, especially in the case of successful re-floats of cetaceans. Cetaceans may strand alive as a single event or a mass stranding, including mixed species groups.
Images and video of common dolphin live stranded at East Passage, Co. Waterford 3/2/21 by Roz Horgan.
Natural - old & Sick, “Follow the leader” or Navigational error Anthropogenic - seismic surveys, military sonar, offshore pile driving. Careful assessment from a trained responder and a veterinarian for all events - refloat, euthanisia or left in peace. Responders on-site MUST MINIMISE DISTURBANCE to the animal from the general public. 13
Citizen Science/ OBSERVERS APP HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374. What to do if you find a stranded marine mammal? - Keep a safe distance (100 meters) from a marine mammals (seal, dolphin, whale, porpoise). - Keep dogs on a lead and away from live and dead stranded marine mammals to reduce the risk of zoonotic disease transmission. - For Dead Strandings; Log a report via the Observers App and upload images. - For Live Strandings & Entanglements; Call our stranding HOTLINE!
HOTLINE +353 89 4625374. ORCA Ireland’s First Responders will be in touch with you to find out details and assess the situation, please have your GPS location and images/videos to send. (Note: please send your images to welfare.orcaireland@gmail.com
14
Finding a Stranded Cetacean: ●
●
● ● ● ●
HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374.
In most cases a stranded whale or dolphin will be unable to be “re-floated” without the help of trained volunteers who can first assess the situation correctly. If you find a stranded whale or dolphin, check if it is alive or dead. Signs to look for include; Is it breathing? – watch for 10—15 minutes, Are its eyes moving? Take photographs of the animal to provide validation of species identification. Inform local stranding response networkReport to ORCA’s Stranding HOTLINE , or use the “Observers App” available free on Google Play and for iphone. 15
Finding a Stranded Cetacean: ● ● ●
●
●
HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374.
Validate record - species I.D. Useful Images include; 1. lateral shots of the entire body and head with something to scale if no measuring tape is available. 2. Close up ventral region (i.e. genital area). 3. Close up of mouth for baleen whales and teeth for small cetaceans. Note unusual markings, whether natural or man-made. Take a note in the Observers App using the Observers Tool-kit to keep notes on anything else unusual (bad weather the weeks previous). Take sample tissues - blubber & skin - store in freezer or alcohol solution.
16
Report a Stranding: Do’s ASSESS the situation- if it’s a seal pup watch for a few hours to make sure it’s mother isn’t near CHECK to see if the animal is alive STAND in a safe area and keep away from the cetaceans blowhole/ seals mouth COVER the animal with wet blankets KEEP the animal cool and dig hole in sand for flippers/pectoral fins LEAVE them to get help if in water above waist level
HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374.
Don'ts DO NOT drag the animal by the tail flippers or flukes DON’T TOUCH the blowhole, eyes or mouth DO NOT COVER a cetaceans blowhole or eyes DO NOT pour water from high above the animals body. DO NOT make loud noises or startle the animal
17
Stranding Response Protocol:
HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374.
Strandings reported via stranding hotline or Observers App. Network Contacted - first responder and team mobilise Event logged
fully
Report written and submitted to ORCA Welfare Officer and NPWS.
18
Stranding Trends: -
HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374.
Increase in stranding reports to the Observers App between 2017 -2020. All year - highest in winter Records more than doubled between 2019 - 2020. 2021 highest records to the app - deep diving species and small cetaceans - CD & HP.
19
CASE STUDY 1- January 2020
HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374.
ARCTIC SEAL; Hooded Seal stranded at Tooremor, Schull, West Cork on the 1st of January 2020. Helen Tilson from Schull Sea Safari reported the stranding to Seal Rescue Ireland who called ORCA Ireland to investigate the stranding. We conducted a gross examination, took measurements and blubber samples. Thanks to the local fisherman we transported the 300 kg animal back to UCC’s lab for post-mortem examination. Due to COVID-19 we have had to delay the pm until restrictions ease. 20
CASE STUDY 2 - February 2021 HUMPBACK WHALE: Feb 24th 2021 - Long Island, off Schull, West Cork. Feb 25th, two ORCA Marine Mammal Responders investigated the stranding and found it was a juvenile male measuring 8.67 meters in length. Baleen plates - stable isotope and genetic analysis, No blubber sample was taken due to interference with members of the public. Resonders need their Marine Mammal Stranding Responders ID Cards, to go in pairs and to coordinate with the local county council, NPWS and ORCA Ireland’s Veterinary network early on. 21
FIRST RESPONSE TRAINING: -
Assess and investigate strandings - measurements, samples, assist in PMs. Coordinate stranding team and local network. Contribute valuable scientific information through citizen science.
First responders are qualified Marine Mammal Medics that have completed ORCA’s Stranding Network Volunteer Course and ORCA’s First Responder Course.
22
First Response Procedure:
HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374.
An emergency stranding response includes two basic phases: 1) information gathering and instructions for initial care by the “First Responder”, and 2) the arrival and subsequent actions of the Stranding Team.
PHASE 1 - INFORMATION GATHERING AND FIRST RESPONSE
23
First Response Procedure:
HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374.
The Process 1. 2. 3.
4. 5.
Receive the call and gather relevant information. The relevant stranding form should be used to gather the necessary information about the local contact person, stranding site address and description, and occurrence details. Confirm the information received. Contact the person via whatsapp or text message to validate the call and the contact number, to get photos and to confirm the information just obtained. Relay instructions to the First Responder. After the initial stranding information is gathered, the Stranding Team representative can designate the caller (or local contact person) as “First Responder” and relay the specific steps to take to provide appropriate care for the animal until the Stranding Team arrives. Communications with the First Responder should be maintained as much as possible until the Stranding Team arrives on site. Notify the appropriate authorities and other relevant parties - In Ireland, this will include the local NPWS ranger and the country council. If a seal is sick or injured contact Seal Rescue Ireland. Respond! Plan and mobilise. Based on the information obtained from the local contact person on site, the Stranding Team should move as quickly as possible. A protocol should be in place for contacting network members, gathering necessary supplies and appropriate equipment, organising transportation, and determining the best access to the site in the timeliest manner. A quick and well organised response is critical. The information gathered from a stranding only has scientific value if it was carefully and accurately documented.
24
First Responder Reporting:
HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374.
For members of the public - report dead strandings through the Observers App and report live strandings by calling our stranding Hotline.
A standardised Stranding Report Form is provided in this manual and insures consistency and ease of recording. All completed Stranding Report Forms should be submitted to the ORCA Ireland Marine Mammal Stranding Database by the responders within 24 hrs of the stranding investigation. See contact information and specific details for filling out the form in Appendix A. Whenever possible, video and still images of the animal and stranding site are highly recommended. They are a visual record of the event, and can be sent to other experts for possible assistance and/ or analysis. Images should be taken with a reference scale with known standard size (e.g. ruler, coin) and labeled with the Date, Time, Location, and Animal’s Code Number, if applicable.
The First Responder is the animals’ (and your) best friend. They can care for the animal and protect it until help arrives. If the Stranding Team is more than a couple hours away, this care becomes even more critical. It is very important to brief the First Responder on basic cetacean anatomy to ensure that they cause no harm. Providing first responder care for a stranded cetacean is not a one-person job! It can be difficult and tiring and almost always requires help from others.
1. 25
Stranding Evaluation: Questions to ask:
● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Species, size and number (if species not known, size and appearance). Alive or dead? Contact details and when first seen? (who reported by - contact tel. no.). Exact location (nearest town - name of beach - location on beach - access to beach). Conditions at the scene (weather - sea state - tide state - level of disturbance). Condition of cetacean (alive or dead - no. of breaths per minute - any wounds - skin condition - obvious dipping of lumbar muscles or neck? - period of time observed). Position of cetacean (in sun or shade - in or above the surf - on rocks, shingle or sand). How long has it/they been stranded? Any attempts made to re-float? (if so, how was it done and how long was taken over it?)
Advice to give: ● ● ● ● ● ●
Support the animal in an upright position and dig trenches under the pectoral fins. If animals are in water deeper than your waist - leave them alone. If shallower; and upright - leave them and get help, if on their sides then roll them over onto their stomachs so their dorsal fin is upright and they can breathe. If the animal is on the beach, cover it with wet sheets or towels (even seaweed) and keep it moist by spraying or dousing with water. N.B. the blowhole should not be covered, and care should be taken to avoid any water or sand entering it. Dig holes for their flippers Provide shade or shelter, if necessary or pour water over the animal to keep it cool (not the blowhole). Avoid the tail and breaths from the blowhole, due to injury/health risks.
26 All contact, noise and disturbance should be kept to a minimum.
First Response:
HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374.
Approach with care! Before approaching an animal, take time to observe his behaviour. Approach slowly, calmly and carefully and always from behind, avoiding loud noises and abrupt movements. DO NOT TOUCH THE ANIMAL. A stranded animal is unlikely to be aggressive, but care should be taken, especially around the mouth and tail regions. A stressed and frightened animal can accidentally hurt someone by simply pumping his tail or swinging his head while attempting to move away.
Supportive care: The first priority is to prevent further injury to the animal and to keep him comfortable while minimising handling and disturbance. Have only the necessary number of people required to administer first aid and stabilise the animal. All others should stand back and give the First Responders room to move around the animal. These are wild animals that may be sick or in pain, and most likely frightened. A large crowd of people will increase stress and discomfort.
Protect the blowhole: This is the NUMBER ONE RULE of cetacean stranding first aid. The blowhole is the nose on top of the head. The First Responder should ensure that no water, sand or objects of any kind get into the blowhole, as they will end up in the animals lungs. Do NOT cover the blowhole with towels or sheets as this will obstruct the airway and cause difficulty in breathing and possible suffocation.
Protect the eyes: Just like for us humans, eyes are an important anatomical feature of any animal. Protect them at all times from sand and other debris and from the hands and fingers of volunteers attempting to help. Injuring an animal’s eye during handling lessens the chance of eventual release. The eyes also need to be kept moist by carefully flushing regularly with water.
27
HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374.
First Response: Protect the pectoral fins. Pectoral fins are the flippers on either side of the animal’s body. These fins have a shoulder joint and bones that must be protected. If the animal is completely out of the water, or resting on the sand in shallow water, digging holes under the pectoral fins helps relieve pressure on these fins. Breaks, dislocation, sprains, and potential permanent damage to the pectoral fins can compromise the animal’s ability to steer through the water.
Support the animal in an upright position. It is much easier to protect the eyes, to keep water and sand out of the blowhole, and to minimise risk to the lungs if the animal is in an upright position. Responders should place themselves on both sides of the animal to gently support and stabilise him in shallow water. If the animal is being supported in an upright position completely out of the water, ensure that the area under the animal is cleared of sharp rocks and shells to prevent damage to the underside of the body.
Protect the skin and keep it moist. Wet sheets or towels can be used to gently cover the animal, placing them just behind the blowhole and leaving the dorsal fin exposed. This material can then be kept moist by periodically dousing or spraying with water. Remember, care should always be taken to ensure that no water goes into the blowhole during this process. Provide shade from the sun on hot days to protect the animal from sunburn.
Minimise stress. All stranded animals are experiencing severe stress. It is very important to maintain good crowd control, keep people a safe distance away, and minimize noise and other distractions as these can be major stressors to a compromised animal. Stress is 28 dangerous and can kill an animal that is already sick and likely in shock from the stranding.
29
First Response- Refloat:
HOTLINE: +353 89 4625374.
Protect the animal from the elements: For the animals’ comfort and well being, provide shade from direct sunlight and protection from the wind if needed.
Refloating: If the animal appears in good condition, has no injuries or signs of disease or sickness, i.e no mucus coming from blow hole and breathing is stable - it may be a candidate for re-floating. It is always best to get the animal back into the water as quickly as possible post assessment where a stranding report form is fully filled out, then provide as much physical support as necessary to keep the animal stable, upright, and free to breathe. Floating in the water is the easiest and most natural way to keep the animal moist, relieve pressure on the pectoral fins and internal organs and to minimise stress since you are now maintaining the animal in his natural environment.
Note: Responders will need certain equipment to re-float dolphins and whales. This includes a dry suit/ wetsuit, shoes with good grips, and a tarpaulin or floating pontoon for large whales. As pontoons are modular in design several sets can be linked together and used on larger whales to provide enough buoyancy, this has been done on many occasions but requires specialist training.
30
Response Team: With all the relevant information gathered from the First Responder, the Stranding Team should formulate an initial plan taking into account the size of the animal, reported physical condition, location, and environmental conditions. The Stranding Team then gathers the necessary equipment to execute the plan. The Team members each have different tasks to conduct, depending on their expertise. The group can be organised with sub-groups such as medical team, handling team, and transport team. Each sub-group must be led by at least one qualified individual with appropriate skill and/or training, and then other team members may consist of volunteers.
Stranding Team Composition The Stranding Team should be led by a competent decision maker and is comprised of the following team members: ●
Individuals who are experienced in marine mammal rescue, transport, and rehabilitation. They are the ones in charge of handling and moving the animal.
● ●
An experienced veterinarian who will be in charge of monitoring the vital signs of the animal and administering clinical and diagnostic procedures. The veterinarian may be called upon to assist the handlers, when necessary.
● ●
Qualified volunteers who have received some training and/or certification.
● ●
The Stranding Team should bring all equipment needed to handle and transport the animal and all medical supplies needed for diagnostics and treatment. 31
Response Equipment: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Old sheets and towels Tape measure Freezer box / sandwich bags First aid kit KY Jelly or Zinc oxide cream Disinfectant and scrubbing brush Air mattress or high density foam Disposable gloves Spade and/or shovel Saw/ scalpels Torch and spare batteries Watering can + sprayer Tarpaulin + stretcher/ pontoons Camera and filming equipment Data recording sheets / Observers App
32
On-site Assessment: A full on-site assessment of the animal’s condition ideally should only be made by the First Responder, ideally with the assistance of a veterinary surgeon, having notified the relevant authorities.
On-site Assessment: It can be difficult to get a detailed onsite assessment of the animal based solely on the circumstances of the stranding. The lead trained responder is therefore challenged to get as much information as possible in order to make an informed decision on how to proceed. ALIVE OR DEAD? The first question to answer is whether the animal is alive or dead. This seems like an obvious determination, but it can require more careful observation than one would think. The lead responder should keep a safe distance of 5 meters and approach from behind where possible. Respiratory rates can indicate the level of stress the animal is under. Respiration rate can be examined by watching the opening and closing of the blowhole. However, cetaceans do not breathe in and out continuously like terrestrial mammals, they hold their breath. Large whales may hold their breath for a long time, even several minutes. So, while waiting the veterinarian may check the corneal reflex as well. Typically, 1 breath/minute in medium to large cetaceans. Generally, for dolphins 2-5 breaths per minute is normal, while 6 breaths per minute indicate moderate stress, and 10 breaths per minute indicate high stress levels. 34
Breathing Indices: ●
Cetaceans (small cetaceans e.g. short-beaked common dolphin; large cetaceans e.g. pilot and sperm whale
BREATHS PER MINUTE
RESPIRATORY COMPROMISE
2- 5 /min
Normal
8+
Mild
10+
Severe
1
Pilot whale- normal
1 per 20 mins
Sperm whale (normal)
Listen closely for any raspy or gurgling sounds that indicate congestion. Observe the length of time between exhale and inhale - they normally occur one right after the other. Any delay should be noted. Also note if the inhalation is a series of short breaths (which is abnormal) instead of a single strong inhalation, which is a normal breath. Check for discharge from the blowhole upon exhalation and smell the animals’ breathe for any strong odour (but do not stick your nose directly over the blowhole please!). Auscultation (listening to the heart and lungs with a stethoscope) should be done, if possible.
Physical Examination: Physical examination An onsite physical examination is necessary, and can be challenging due to a variety of factors. Smaller animals will be easier to examine simply because they are easier to handle and restrain when conducting the examination. An animal that is still partially in the water is easier to turn onto its side to examine the underside, listen to heart and lungs, etc. An animal completely out of the water, unless very small, will be more difficult to manipulate. With a large whale that cannot be physically manipulated at all, the physical examination will be limited to those body parts that are exposed.
Skin condition and hydration Evaluate the skin condition of the animal. Normally, it should be wet and smooth like rubber. If the animal has been out of the water for sometime and the skin has been exposed to the air, wind, and heat of the sun, it may begin to look dry and wrinkled. With extended exposure it may begin to peel. It is therefore important to keep the skin wet and protected from the elements. It is also important to look closely at any sunburn patterns. For example, if the animal has sunburned skin only on the right side, this indicates the animal was floating right side up, which may be indicative of problems associated with the right lung.
Push down on the skin with fingers or hand to roughly check the animal’s current state of hydration. The skin of a well hydrated animal is firm to the touch, while those with possible dehydration are “squishy”. A more objective way of determining the state of hydration is through a blood profile. This takes time as a blood sample must be drawn and analyzed for the results, but it will give you precise information as to the degree the animal is dehydrated. Animals that are emaciated, have not been eating normally for some time, and/or are suffering from illness are likely to be dehydrated. Those that have stranded for other reasons (i.e. followed prey to shore, got 36 ‘lost’, etc.) or have recent injuries that are not life threatening are usually well hydrated.
Physical Examination: Body Temperature - Along with blood samples, body temperature is also only taken by a qualified veterinarian. - The normal temperature range can be from 36.5 ̊- 38 ̊C. A temperature over 40 ̊ is considered critical. A note of caution, however, as an elevated temperature of a struggling animal may not reflect infection or inflammation but just body heat from exertion. So, body temperature of a stranded marine mammal must be carefully evaluated in relation to other factors, and is often not useful. - Exact age estimation of a stranded animal is difficult to ascertain unless it is obviously a stillborn or neonate. Cetaceans and dugongs are generally classified as calf, subadult or adult. Very young calves, or neonates, can be fairly easily determined by size, clean unscratched skin, and the lack of teeth. The fleshy umbilicus may be present as well. If a young calf strands, there is always a small possibility that the mother may still be offshore, so ask the First Responders and recruit community members to look for sightings of another animal in the area likely to be the mother. Neonates require very specialised around the clock care and will need to be fed a specially designed formula instead of whole fish. - As much morphometric information as possible should be collected. This includes length and width or girth. The size and shape of all fins (dorsal, pectoral, and tail fluke) and location of blowhole are also helpful to note. Check the teeth, if possible, for overall condition and amount of wear (minimal to maximum wear). With morphometrics and this other information, as well as an identification of the species of the stranded animal, it is possible to estimate age classification of the animal. - If at all possible, diagnostic sampling should be done at the stranding site. This provides much more detailed information on the health status of the animal which is important in deciding whether to release, rehabilitate, or euthanise the animal. Complete diagnostics will be necessary to develop a medical management plan if rehabilitation is pursued. - Blood is the most important biological sample that a medical practitioner uses to assess, diagnose, and medically manage the animal. When there is an opportunity to collect more samples, blowhole and faecal samples are next in importance. Test results from these samples can provide information on more specific illnesses like respiratory infections, diarrhoea, and gastrointestinal parasitism. 37
Physical Examination: Determine State of Nutrition: check the profile of muscle mass below the dorsal fin. Body condition scoring (BCS) is an important subjective and semi-quantitative tool used to assess and make recommendations relating to nutritional status and overall health in a wide range of species.
A scale of 1-to-4 - used to assess body fat and muscle, with a lower score indicating emaciation and a higher score indicating obesity.
Studies have shown a significant relationship between body condition and survivability in marine mammals, with failed animals showing a poorer body condition than those that survived. A lower body condition score may indicate poor nutrition and underlying chronic illness, which may be correlated with decreased delphinid survival rates post-release.
Body Condition of cetaceans - assessed by analysing morphometric data (i.e. relationship between girth, length and weight, as well as by using Body Mass Index (BMI) or ultrasound measurements of blubber thickness as a determinant of body fat condition.
Emaciated animals have a visible ‘dipping’ of the muscle masses or a sunken look with a visible ‘neck’. This is described by some as the animal having the profile of a “peanut – head’ rounder and neck thinner and then body angling out again It is also important to listen to the quality and sound of the breaths. Normally, the breaths should be clear, strong and quick.
38
Physical Examination: Bleeding ●
●
Excessive bleeding from the blowhole, mouth and anus are poor prognostic signs, unless due to superficial cuts occurring at the time of stranding. Bleeding from injuries may occur and depending on area of injury it may be disinfected and wrapped temporarily.
Reflexes and muscle tone; ●
● ● ● ●
Assessment of key reflexes and muscle tone may give an indication of the level of consciousness in animals showing little evidence of movement, vocalisation, etc.. Those that can be assessed include: Palpebral reflex- should close eyelids on touching. Blowhole reflex - normally held closed and should tighten on touching its edge. Jaw tone - should resist attempts to open its mouth. Tongue and flipper tone - gentle tugging on the tongue or flipper should be met with strong resistance.
Cetacean Carcass Condition Codes:
1.
Alive
2. Moderate Decomposition
2. Fresh Dead
2. Advanced Decomposition
5. Skeleton
Pinniped Carcass Condition Codes: 1.
Alive
3. Moderate
2. Fresh Dead
4. Advanced decomposition.
5. Skeleton
Marine Mammals Recording Form:
Large Whale Recording Form:
Post Mortem Analysis:
Prof. Karen Stockin, Dr. Rebecca Buoys and students from Massey University, New Zealand.
Name the species?
Transportation: Marine Mammal Ecologist and ORCA Ireland’s executive director Emer Keaveny works with Prof. Emer Rogan of University College Cork (UCC) and Dr. Alan Wolfe of University College Dublin (UCD) to conduct post mortems on Marine Mammals and to train volunteers to conduct PMs in the field where feasible. Often due to a risk to human safety, on-site pms are not appropriate and animals need to be transported to the nearest lab. The hooded seal stranded at Tooremore, West Cork was transported to UCC’s lab in January 2020 and is still awaiting necropsy analysis due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Transportation/Lab:
IFAW - “Dolphin Rescue Ambulance”
ORCA Ireland are fundraising, seeking donations and corporate sponsorship for our very own “Marine Mammal Rescue Vehicle”. This could facilitate the transportation of animals to labs and rescue centres, in addition to providing a mobile lab for post mortem analysis.
On-site PMs Responders: Emer Keaveney & Frances Gallagher 18-3-2018, Cork Harbour.
Left: Lung, small and large intestine.
Right: Internal stomach lining with parasites present.
Necropsy in the lab: Dorsal fin Thermoregulatory Vessels
Teeth
15 Feb 2015.
Blubber sectioned and sampled
Dorsal fin Thermoregulatory Vessels
Necropsy in the lab: Ventral Bruising pre and post mortem
Kidney
Spleen dissection
Rete Mirabile Liver
Lung
Necropsy in the lab: External auditory canal Broken mandible
Muscle (note high myoglobin)
Peduncle/ tail stock
Pinniped Necropsy Procedure Collect life history information; age, sex and reproductive history deduced from ovarian structures, can be critical for assessing population trends, forensic data and contaminant analysis data. 1.
Species Identification; Determine the genus and species of the pinniped (See ORCA Ireland’s Marine Megafauna ID Guide). Sex determination:
2. -
Roll the animal over on its back and examine for a penile orifice just caudal to the umbilical scar. Adult male otariids may be identified by noting the scrotal sac posteriorly, but if the sac is drawn close to the body, this may be difficult; remember, that in phocids there is no scrotal sac. In young animals, it may be difficult to actually see the penile orifice through the lanugo coat; however, there is often urine staining, and the os penis (penile bone) can always be palpated through the skin.
Source: Hawaii Marine Animal Response
Pinniped Necropsy Procedure 3. Weigh the seal, and record the weight on both the standard measurement and necropsy forms. As you perform a necropsy, specific organs should be weighed as well (See Standard Necropsy Form and Specimen Checklist for Histopathology). 4. Age the animal; Age determination without history is difficult and speculative. The best indicator of age is the tooth. Remove a canine or postcanine tooth (i.e. canine tooth in the upper jaw), and process it appropriately (see Section on Tooth/ Bone/Skeletal Preparation). Record the number and type (incisors, canines, post-canines) of teeth in upper and lower arcades (jawbones) to aid in further pinniped life history identification. 5. Other specimens to collect that will assist the pinniped life histbrian in data collection are: (5a) Whole skull (for morphometrics); (5b) Lower jaw (with teeth present); (5c) Stomach and stomach contents (for feeding habits, nutritional information and biotoxicant presence);
Pinniped Necropsy Procedure Reproductive organs (ovaries can indicate pregnancies, testes can indicate maturity); (5d) Fetus (for developmental characteristics and deformities); (5e) Milk (for nutritional status of mother and for handraising formulation); (7) Parasites (for developing baseline and evolutionary information, including nutritional status and feeding and haul-out habits); and (5f) Prey items (intact species from the pinnipeds habitat for comparison purposes, and for feeding habit information).
Gross Necropsy EQUIPMENT NECESSARY: Camera, 35mm, with 50mm and macro (close-up) lenses, flash and extra batteries; Video camera, if available (the video camera should not substitute for clear and accurate photography). Protective clothing (plastic gloves (preferably talc-free), boots, aprons) Surgical mask and protective eyeglasses (to guard against public health risk). Record sheets (including standard necropsy form and standard measurement sheet), soft lead (no. 2) pencils and clipboard
Sharpening steel Scalpel blades (assortment of #10s and #15s) and handle Small and large dissection scissors Long and short-handled, tissue and rat-toothed forceps Pruning shears, bolt cutters, or oscillating (Stryker) or electric saw (for cutting bone and cartilage) Bone rongeurs/ Tweezers (for removing small bony fragments)
Walk-on scale and wheelbarrow for weighing whole animal
Heavy duty rubber gloves (able to be disinfected and cleaned)
Flexible and metal tape measures. Plastic/wooden ruler, graded in centimeters and inches
Cotton string (for tying off fluid filled hollow organs, i.e stomach, etc.)
Tooth dental elevator
Spring or platform weighing scale (20 kg capacity)
Dissecting tray or board
Postal scale or other weighing device (in mg & gram weights) Paper towels
Sharp high quality stainless steel knives (curved and/or straight, minimum 6 inch blade)
Gross Necropsy EQUIPMENT NECESSARY: Tyvek Labels and indelible ink pens/ permanent markers (non-smearing) [see example of label front & back below] Containers for collected samples (see Section on Shipping) Fixatives (10% Formalin; also see Appendix A) Alcohol (70% ethanol) Various sterile blood collection tubes, syringes and needles Whirl-Parke or zip-lock plastic bags Aluminum foil (heavy duty) Covered barrel for solid waste disposal
Necropsy Reporting A great deal of important comparative data can be lost if the marine mammal medic decides that there is "not enough time" to write up a report, or "the findings are not significant enough to record. If there is enough time to perform a necropsy, writing the report is part and parcel of that necropsy. The importance of records, particularly in a court of law, cannot be overstated. The following standardized necropsy form is recommended for a methodical, step-by-step assessment of organs and lesions post-mortem. Tissue samples should be routinely collected from all organs, whether they appear grossly normal or abnormal. When sampling abnormal tissue, be certain to collect adjacent normal tissue. This standardized necropsy form allows a worthwhile, item by item examination that is relatively rapid and error-free; and it provides consistency. The person performing the necropsy must always sign the necropsy form, so that examination information can be traced back, if necessary, at a later date. Some facilities require that necropsy reports dictated and/or transcribed during actual necropsy procedures be formally typed up for distribution and/or reporting purposes. The original handwritten and signed document prepared at the time of necropsy should routinely be kept on file for future reference, be it of a legal or scientific nature.
Glossary of Terms -
Abiotic: Anthropogenic: Biotic Cetacean Conservation: Ecosystem: Elasmobranchs: Entanglement Fecundity: Food web: Habitat: Life History: Megafauna Stranding;
58
(Sergio et al., 2006; Peltier et al., 2013, Peltier et al., 2014).
Peltier et
al., 2020).
59
