Byrd et al.: Standings as indicators of marine mammal biodiversity and human interactions 
11 
(segments C2 and D for HI-CBD, segments B2 and C2 
for HI-FI, and segment C2 for perinatal strandings). 
There was a significant difference in number of 
ocean-side stranding events among the 4 segments 
(A-D) for harbor porpoises (x 2 =176.1; P<0.0001, 
n- 247), non -Kogia pelagic odontocetes (% 2 =55.1; 
n= 206, PcO.OOOl), harbor seals (% 2 = 17.8; n- 67, 
P=0.Q0Q5), and non -Phoca pinnipeds (% 2 =11.4; n=34, 
P<0.0096) (Fig. 7), and no segment effect for the other 
groups or species. Segment A had significantly more 
events than expected and segment C less than expect- 
ed for all 4 taxonomic groups. In addition there were 
significantly fewer than expected harbor porpoises, 
harbor seals, and non -Kogia pelagic odontocetes in 
segment D and fewer than expected harbor porpoises 
in segment B. The spatial patterns of non -Kogia pe- 
lagic odontocetes were driven by the pelagic delphi- 
nids, which represented the majority of this taxonom- 
ic group. Generally, all 4 subcategories of pelagic del- 
phinids, including southern species, stranded primar- 
ily north of Cape Hatteras (Fig. 6). For pilot whales, 
the more southerly short-finned pilot whale occurred 
in all 4 segments, whereas the more northerly long- 
finned species ( Globicephalus melas) was never recov- 
ered south of Cape Hatteras. More northern pelagic 
delphinid individuals (n= 99) were recovered than 
southern delphinid individuals (ra=17); no stranding 
within either group was recovered in segment D (Fig. 
6). Cosmopolitan pelagic delphinids (n= 57) were re- 
covered in all segments. Although samples sizes of the 
individual species did not allow for statistical analy- 
sis, the overall spatial distribution of strandings dem- 
onstrated the preponderance of strandings in coastal 
segment A and a clustering of strandings just south 
of Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout. Harbor seals and 
other seals showed the same patterns of differences 
among segments; however, a map of sightings shows 
that although harbor seals were recovered from the 
VA line to southwest of Cape Fear (segment D), the 
other seals were never recovered very far south of 
Cape Lookout. 
The spatial pattern of balaenopterids was pro- 
nounced despite no statistical difference (P=0.39) 
among the 4 coastal segments. Of the 36 ocean-side 
strandings, 42% occurred north of Cape Hatteras (seg- 
ment A) and 69% occurred north of Cape Lookout (seg- 
ments A and B). Seven of the 10 whales within seg- 
ment C were recovered in the northern 30 km (Fig. 
6). Interestingly, 3 of the 8 minke whales stranded in 
segment C, just inside the bight at Cape Lookout, and 
another minke whale stranded inshore of the bight 
about 10 km into the sound. 
The majority (83%) of inshore strandings were those 
of coastal bottlenose dolphins (183 of 223). All mana- 
tees (n- 5) were recovered inshore. There were 2 harbor 
porpoises recovered far inshore, both in 2005 and both 
found alive. Some nonestuarine species (e.g., humpback 
whale, sperm whale, offshore bottlenose dolphin) were 
also recovered inshore, but generally near inlets (Fig. 6). 
Human interactions 
Most strandings (60%; n=1096) were HI-CBD (Table 
5). Human interactions (HI) were reported for 299 
(16%) strandings, including 18 of the 34 species ex- 
amined, as well as 5 carcasses unidentified to spe- 
cies (Table 5). The Hl-yes category represented about 
40% of those for which it was possible to deter- 
mine whether an interaction occurred (excludes HI- 
CBD). Overall, most (80%) of the Hl-yes strandings 
were HI-FI. For 5 species, there were 10 or more HI 
strandings: coastal bottlenose dolphins, harbor por- 
poises, short-finned pilot whales, harbor seals, and 
humpback whales. The percentage of HI was partic- 
ularly high for humpback whales and coastal bottle- 
nose dolphins (Table 5). The incidence of HI-FI of 
those for which it was possible to determine wheth- 
er an interaction occurred was similar for coastal 
bottlenose dolphins recovered inshore (28 out of 60; 
47%) and ocean-side (153 out of 331; 46%). Healed 
FI lesions were noted on 20 strandings: pilot whales 
(n=10), a common dolphin (n = l), striped dolphins 
(n= 2), a coastal bottlenose dolphin (n=l), a Risso’s 
dolphin (n= 1), and humpback whales (n=5). All of 
the pilot whales with healed lesions were part of the 
2005 mass stranding, and had no other evidence of 
HI. The Risso’s dolphin also had fresh FI lesions. Of 
the humpback whales with healed FI lesions, one was 
caught in a gill net and died and one stranded dead 
with trauma consistent with a vessel strike. Two har- 
bor porpoises and 24 coastal bottlenose dolphins clas- 
sified as HI-FI were also mutilated; they had missing 
appendages or cuts into the abdomen, or both. Harbor 
porpoise strandings classified as HI-FI occurred in 
February {n= 3), March (n= 3) and April (n= 5). 
Of the 44 animals entangled in fishing gear (active 
or free-floating gear) or with ingested fishing gear, gill 
net, hook-and-line, and trap or pot line gears were the 
most prevalent (Table 6). Seven animals were released 
alive. In addition to these strandings, the network 
documented a humpback whale in February 2001 with 
a gill net caught on barnacles on its flukes. It was not 
considered stranded because it freed itself. 
Evidence for Hi-other (n~ 62) took several forms 
with mutilation being the most common (60%) (Table 
5). In 3 cases, mutilation was known to have occurred 
after the stranding had been reported. Most of the 
mutilated coastal bottlenose dolphins, except for the 
one mutilated after it had stranded, and all of the 
harbor porpoises were CBD for FI. The mutilation for 
20 of the 25 the dolphins and 7 of the 8 harbor por- 
poises was similar to that seen in HI-FI strandings 
with mutilation: clean cuts where fins or flukes were 
removed, ventral body slits, or both. The debris (e.g., 
“parachute cord” and thick rope) found entangled on 
2 coastal bottlenose dolphins could not be confirmed 
as fishery-related. Harassment was recorded for 2 ce- 
taceans: a pygmy sperm whale that was pushed back 
into the water 10 times before stranding responders 
