A stranded animal is any dead marine mammal on shore, or any live dolphin or whale cast ashore or unable to return to its natural habitat, or any live seal which cannot leave shore due to injury or poor health. On Cape Cod, we have frequent single and mass strandings. A single stranding occurs when one animal comes ashore by itself and is in need of medical attention. A mass stranding is where two or more dolphins or whales strand at the same time in close proximity to one another. Mass strandings can involve over 100 individual animals. Cape Cod, due to its unique shape, has a unusually high number of these strandings, with over 500 reported each year.
The Cape Cod Stranding Network (CCSN) is dedicated to responding to these strandings. They attempt to release healthy animals back to the water, provide medical attention for sick & injured animals, work to prevent mass strandings, facilitate animal rehabilitation where appropriate, and humanely euthanize animals unlikely to survive.
Note : the CCSN has merged with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). They have a continuous need for volunteers and donations. Go to
http://blog.ifaw.org/category/strandings/ for more information.
No comments:
Post a Comment