Cetacean Strandings 
47 
Stranding records for several migratory species such as the northern 
right whale, fin whale, humpback whale, and harbor porpoise indicate 
when these species are present along the coast of North Carolina (Fig. 
2). These North Atlantic taxa migrate southward during the late fall 
and winter months, and then return northward in the spring, a pattern 
best demonstrated by the stranding records for the fin whale and hump- 
back whale. Right whale strandings are confined to the spring months, 
the season when mothers and their newborn calves migrate northward 
in shallow nearshore water (Kraus et al. 1986, 1993); the southward 
winter migration (Reeves et al. 1978) of juveniles, subadults, and 
adults is farther offshore along the eastern edge of the Labrador Current 
(Kraus et al. 1993) and the continental shelf (Winn et al. 1986). Stranding 
records for the harbor porpoise demonstrate a local north-south migra- 
tion, with the southernmost distributional limits reaching North Carolina 
during the winter and spring months, rather than the inshore-offshore 
migratory pattern seen farther north (Neave and Wright 1968, Gaskin 
et al. 1974, Gaskin and Watson 1985). Based on few stranding records, 
the sei whale ( Balaenoptera borealis Lesson) and minke whale (B. 
acutorostrata Lacepede) probably fall into this category as well. These 
six species account for about 11% of the total number of strandings 
reported from North Carolina. 
The common dolphin ( Delphinus delphis Linnaeus), striped dolphin 
(Stenella coeruleoabla (Meyen)), sperm whale ( Physeter macrocephalus 
Linnaeus), Blainville’s beaked whale ( Mesoplodon densirostris (Blainville)), 
and Gervais’ beaked whale ( M . europaeus (Gervais)) have stranded 
during most months of the year, and we suspect that they are year- 
round residents in North Carolina waters. The common dolphin inhabits 
temperate waters adjacent to the 100-fathom isobath where the ocean 
floor has substantial topographic relief (Leatherwood and Reeves 1983). 
It does not exhibit a pronounced north-south migration, so increased 
strandings during the colder months may reflect seasonal inshore-offshore 
move-ments (Selzer and Payne 1988) or increased mortality during 
the colder months of the year. Although the sperm whale has a well- 
documented migration in the North Atlantic Ocean (Townsend 1935), 
it has stranded in North Carolina in all months except June, October, 
and December. Mature males migrate northward out of North Carolina 
waters in the spring, but some immature males and females and their 
calves remain in North Carolina waters throughout the summer months 
(Leatherwood et al. 1976). These five species constitute approximately 
8% of the total number of strandings reported from North Carolina. 
Several cetaceans exhibited significant monthly variation in stranding 
but demonstrated no seasonal periodicity, and each appears to inhabit 
