Volunteers On-Call 



A 



By Larisa Tatge 



L.bout 100 times a year, a sick or dying dolphin strands on 

 North Carolina's shores. When it happens, only a handful of North 

 Carolinians are equipped with the marine mammal know-how and 

 authorization to step into the crisis. Many are members of the Marine 

 Mammal Stranding Network (MMSN), one of the longest-operating 

 rescue efforts involving dolphins in the state. 



The network's mission is twofold: to protect humans from potential 

 danger posed by stranded mammals and to systematically gather data 

 that could lead to new insights about marine species. The media-drawing 

 nature of the work, however, also requires a dose of crowd management 

 and media relations skills. 



It's all part of a nonpaying job that is often cold, wet and "grungy," 

 volunteers say. 



"We mobilize immediately. What's critical is to get to the animal as 

 quick as possible," says Andy Wood, curator of education at the N.C. 

 Aquarium at Fort Fisher and 1 1 -year veteran volunteer for the MMSN. 



Wood and about 30 other volunteers are on-call around the clock, 

 prepared to respond to a stranding report in the wee hours of morning or 

 late at night. Sometimes the search for a stranded mammal is an arduous 

 task, involving long drives down the coast. In addition to dolphins, 

 volunteers home in on reports of stranded whales, seals and sea turtles. 



Claire Hohenwarter, a five-year network volunteer and veterinarian 

 from Wilmington, says that many reports come just after sunrise. 



"Usually people see the animal early in the morning when they're 

 walking along the beach," she says. 



Dolphins may beach on the shore for a number of reasons, but two 

 scenarios are most typical, says Wood. The dolphin may have died from 

 natural causes such as old age. Or it may be injured or sick and is trying 

 to avoid sharks or breathe easier in shallower water. 



In any case, anyone who encounters a stranded dolphin should 

 immediately contact the police. Do not touch or try to move the mam- 

 mal, Wood warns. 



Besides being dangerous, approaching a beached dolphin is illegal. 

 The Marine Mammal Protection Act prohibits nonauthorized contact 

 with stranded marine mammals. 



Continued 



COASTWATCH 7 



