Whale and dolphin strandings affect hundreds of animals annually. The welfare response to live strandings requires balancing rescue attempts against the welfare cost of prolonged distress in already compromised animals.
Live cetacean strandings present acute welfare emergencies requiring simultaneous welfare triage of multiple individuals. Beached whales and dolphins experience thermal stress from sun exposure, respiratory compromise from weight on the chest outside water, dehydration, and the fear and distress of an alien environment. These animals are already physiologically compromised before stranding occurs. The welfare response must weigh the realistic likelihood of recovery against the additional suffering caused by prolonged human rescue attempts. Mass strandings involving many animals simultaneously overwhelm available resources, requiring triage decisions about which animals can be saved. Public presence at strandings motivated by care paradoxically increases welfare harm through disturbance preventing natural refloating behaviour and causing additional stress.