Stranded cetaceans and pinnipeds require specialised response from trained rescuers, and the welfare of stranded animals in the period between discovery and rescue or euthanasia is highly variable.
Marine mammal stranding welfare is acutely time-sensitive. A live beached dolphin or whale begins suffering immediately from the loss of water support and cooling -- their own weight compresses their organs, and they overheat without the sea water that normally carries their body heat. Expert response teams know how to keep animals wet, cool, and calm while assessing refloatation viability. But expert response is not always rapid, and well-meaning public intervention can cause additional harm -- restraining animals, pushing them into surf without assessment, or covering blowholes. Public education about appropriate stranding response is a direct welfare intervention that is achievable and important.