Marine Animal Welfare

Marine Mammal Strandings: Response and Welfare

Marine mammal strandings affect thousands of animals annually and coordinated response networks provide critical welfare interventions for surviving individuals.

Key Facts

The British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) coordinates UK cetacean and seal strandings
Common stranding species in the UK include common dolphins, grey seals and harbour porpoises
Stranded cetaceans face overheating, dehydration, pressure injuries and panic if handled incorrectly
Survival rates for single, live-stranded small cetaceans with prompt intervention can exceed 50%
Mass strandings of social species require coordination of multiple agencies and veterinary teams

Welfare Considerations

Marine mammal stranding response provides direct welfare interventions for individual animals in acute distress. Correct handling - keeping animals cool, upright and minimising stress - significantly improves outcomes. Public education on not to push stranded animals back without expert guidance is essential as this can cause further injury. Supporting stranding networks enables rapid, expert response.

What You Can Do

Save the BDMLR seal rescue hotline number (01825 765546) in your phone
Do not attempt to return stranded marine mammals to the sea without expert guidance
Report all strandings immediately to the appropriate wildlife response organisation
Donate to BDMLR and similar organisations to support training and equipment