Dolphin strandings are welfare emergencies that require rapid, coordinated response. Understanding the causes and appropriate intervention protocols can improve survival rates and reduce suffering during these distressing events.
Stranded dolphins experience severe physiological stress from dehydration, overheating, pressure injuries from their own body weight on land, and the acute distress of disorientation. Inappropriate public intervention — attempting to push animals back to sea without assessing the cause of stranding — can cause additional harm and delay professional assessment. The welfare priority is rapid professional assessment to determine whether refloating, rehabilitation, or humane euthanasia is appropriate. Members of the public can most effectively help by calling trained stranding networks and keeping crowds away from the animal.