Marine Mammals

This past weekend, Karen Clark, education specialist with the North Carolina Wildlife Commission, gave an interesting and informative presentation on Marine Mammal Strandings. This includes both cetaceans which include whales, dolphins, and porpoises and pinnipeds which include seals, sea lions, and walruses. Marine mammals have the same characteristics as all other mammals, but they have adapted to living all or part of their life in the ocean. To keep warm in the ocean, most of them depend on a thick layer of blubber (or fat). They have streamlined bodies to help them swim faster. Many species can stay under water for a long time, but must come to the surface to breathe. To be able to stay under water for long periods, they store extra oxygen in their muscles and blood. They also have more blood than land mammals in proportion to their body sizes, can direct their blood flow to only their vital organs (such as their heart and lungs), and can slow their heartbeat down so they are using less oxygen in a dive.

Here on the Outer Banks, seals visit our beaches just to have a rest. Seals "haul out" of the water as part of their natural behavior. When we see them here in the winter months, our role is to assess their health and condition and help them rest by keeping curious beach-goers a safe distance from them. On the four wheel drive beach we have the added concern that they could be hit by a car at night when resting on the beach. We typically will create a "safe zone" around them using stakes with reflective material on them.

Dolphins can show up on our beaches at any time of year when they have "stranded" for one reason or another. In most cases, dolphins will strand if they are sick, injured or have died. Our role in these cases is to make the animal as comfortable as possible if it is still alive. Pinnipeds are difficult to rehabilitate and often the most humane decision is often to euthanize. A necropsy is performed so more can be learned about the animal with the ultimate goal is being able to provide better knowledge of the ecology and population dynamics which can enhance our conservation efforts.

Marine mammals are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. This act was passed based on the findings that some marine mammal species or stocks may be in danger of extinction or depletion as a result of human activities and measures should be taken to replenish these species or stocks.

I am proud to be part of the volunteer network that helps with the conservation of the marine mammals that visit our Outer Banks beaches.