So about a week ago there were news articles going round
social media of a group of holidaymakers who removed a baby dolphin from the
sea, to allow them to take selfies with it. This is ignorant and disgusting
behaviour that I would hope the majority of people can see and understand why.
This posts aim however is not to complain or criticise those
holidaymakers’ actions it is an attempt to educate so if you were to find a
stranded marine animal you would know the best course of action to take in an
attempt to save its life.
So just to start with a bit of general information, the
order of mammals which are regularly stranded is Cetacea. This group includes
dolphins, whales and porpoises, this is not to say that these are the only
creatures that strand on beaches, they do however represent the majority of
species which become stranded. Species such as sharks and smaller fishes can
also get stranded, due to their reliance on gills and so water to breathe means
that they are sadly likely to be deceased when you find them, but if they are
still alive the same steps should be taken to rescue them.
Cetaceans have all evolved to be extremely well adapted for
their aquatic existence but this makes them poor at coping with anything which
involves land. They all possess a set of front flippers which in most cases are
unable to support their weight and a tail which is fluked (horizontal shaped)
which provides an efficient method of propulsion. These are great designs for
movement in the water but terrible at providing any form of mobility on the
land.
There are several things that you need to be aware of if you
do find a stranded cetacean on the beach. First of all they are extremely
strong and if you were to be hit as the creature struggles you could become
seriously injured. Also whales and even
a few of the dolphins will weigh enough to kill you if you get trapped under
them so bare that in mind when approaching and moving around the animal. It is
also important to remember that cetaceans are wild animals and so have the
potential to be carrying diseases, some of which are transferable to humans.
Step one on discovering a stranded animal is to assess the
situation and make sure you are safe. In very rare cases you may be able to
carry a small dolphin or baby porpoise back to the sea. Never attempt to drag
them however, as this could lead to the animal becoming seriously injured. This
is the fastest and easiest way to resolve the situation but is rarely the case
and if you do take this approach there are risks to yourself involved. Once the
animal is returned to the sea do not just leave it in the surf, the stranding
process is likely to have left the animal exhausted and it may need your help
to get through the surf without suffering from further injuries or drowning. If
the beach is safe try and walk the animal out past the breakers before letting
it go. This is something you’ll have to judge however when handling the animal.
In most cases however the stranded cetacean will be too
large for a group of people to man handle back into the sea. If this is the
case however there are still a number of steps which you can take to increase
the chances of the individual’s survival until the tide returns.
·
The first step you should take is to alert the
authorities so a group of experience people can travel to you and take charge,
numbers for these rescue groups can be found online. In the UK it’s best to
call either British Divers Marine Life Rescue (01825 765546) or the RSPCA (0300
1234999).
·
Make sure their blowholes are free of
obstruction so as to allow them to breath freely
·
Keep dogs etc away and attempt to minimise
stress as much as possible
·
The next step you should take is to try and keep
the animal as wet and cool as possible. In most cases stranded animals die of
heat exhaustion and dehydration when they become stranded.
·
Finally attempt to dig around the front fins of
the animal if they are in contact with the ground. In some cases cetacean
skeletal structure means that once beached a lot of pressure and stress is
applied to their joint which can result in serious damage. However don’t do
this if you have to move the fins as this will result in more damage so is
better left alone
It is important to remember ever situation is different and so
guide lines are only very rough and the most important point is the first one –
alert the authorities so experienced well train people can come and asset in
the rescue.
Thanks for reading!
Check out this link if you missed the news about the dolphin
and the holiday makers
Check out these videos
No comments:
Post a Comment