Want to know what’s going on around our neighborhood? Find out here on the Community News page! Visit throughout the day to get your updated local news headlines. In addition, you can also find out about local happenings.If you know of an event, such as a city picnic, local high school graduation or a wedding, post it here to let all of us know! Be sure to keep yourself informed by checking this page frequently! |
- What To Do When You See A Stranded Marine MammalPosted on: 2007-03-20Reacting calmly and sensibly to a beached or stranded marine mammal is the most effective way to insure that they receive potentially
life-saving care. Following these simple instructions can keep an animal alive and reduce its stress until qualified help can arrive.
CALL any Ventura County agency (i.e. police, fire, lifeguards, harbor patrol, etc.) to report the stranding.
The police, fire, etc will call the ORCA Agency*. ORCA DOES NOT take calls directly. If an ORCA volunteer has not called you back within 15 min., please try another County agency. If the animal is dead still call. Valuable research about these animals and our environment can be gained.
Determine the animals exact location! If they can?t locate the animal, they can?t help it. How far and in what direction from a town, river, jetty, seawall, mile marker or highway callbox?
SEALS and SEAL LIONS:
DO NOT attempt to remove the animal or return it to the water. Seals and Sea Lions temporarily Haul Out on land to rest or dry out.
Mothers briefly leave their pups while at sea to look for food.
Keep people and dogs away from the animal Control your pets! Keep people away! They could injure or be injured by a Seal or Sea Lion.
DO NOT POUR WATER ON A BEACHED SEALS OR SEA LIONS. They are prone to respiratory diseases and wetting them down often adds to their suffering.
Observe the animal from a distance of at least 50 feet. Note the condition of the animal. Any obvious injuries? Is it bleeding? Wet or dry? Any markings or tags? ARE THEY ROCKING BACK AND FORTH? This is extremely important behavior to note and tell this to whom ever you report the stranding to. Do not attempt to feed the animal.
Do not touch a stranded Seal or Sea Lion! Even though they appear friendly, they can inflict severe bites. They may also carry diseases communicable to humans.
DOLPHINS and WHALES
DO NOT attempt to return the animal to sea. They are there for a reason usually sick or injured.
Keep people and dogs away from the animal. Only 1 or 2 persons are needed until expert help arrives.
Additional people will only add more stress to the dolphin or whale.
If the animal is in the surf support it upright keeping water out of the blowhole at all times.
Keep the animal cool and wet by splashing water on the skin.
Avoid getting water into the blowhole. and keep the blowhole free of obstructions
Apply wet towels or t-shirts Take care not to cover any of its fins or tail. Provide shade if possible using tarps or towels.
DO NOT apply suntan oil. If available, apply zinc oxide to the fins and tail. The dolphins skin is very sensitive and will sunburn severely.
Be careful around the extremely powerful tail.
For dead whales and dolphins only: Call The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History at 805-682-4711 ex 385, 331, or 321.
Valuable research about these animals and our environment can be gained.
My observations in the seven years that I?ve lived in Pierpont, I have seen many sea lions hauled out on the beach.
After calling the various county agencies. (They all have been helpful) What you need to do is make it as safe and stress free an environment for the marine mammal as best as you can. Keeping dogs and people at least 50 feet away is extremely important.
You wouldn?t want dogs coming up to you sniffing you while you were trying to rest or weren't feeling well and you certainly wouldn?t want people poking you with a stick either, let alone putting their children on your back for the photo op. (I?ve seen all of these behaviors)
If you can put up a several warning signs, saying something like, ?Sea lion, stay away, will bite, keep dogs away?. Just a piece of paper on a stick will do or even a big paper bag standing upright with sand in it makes a good sign. These signs can help keep people somewhat at a distance. If you have barrier tape (garden or caution tape) you can place it on sticks (which are conveniently all over the beach) and block off a big (50 Ft) area around the sea lion or other marine mammal. (Sometimes the police will help you do this.) The signs and barrier tape can really go a long way in keeping people at a safe distance, but also alerts people to the fact that there is something there. Many people can just trip over a sea lion because they can blend right in with the rocks and sand.
By the next day the healthy ones have gone back to the sea.
Staci Kaye-Carr
Pierpont Resident
Volunteer Naturalist
Channel Islands National Park
Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
*ORCA
Organization for Respect and Care of Animals, Inc.
They are the only Ventura County, CA. marine mammal rescue group, and is all volunteer and a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) California corporation. They do not receive government funding and are solely supported by donations from private individuals, small businesses, foundations and corporations.
Please check out their website for even more info and ways to help.
http://orcaoutreach.org/
The specific purposes for which this corporation is organized are educational, research and animal care and welfare activities, including, but not limited to: providing care and treatment for distressed sea and land animals; studying the effects on sea and land animals of natural and other phenomena and the effects and interrelation of same on the human species; educating the public regarding the care and treatment of sea and land animals and their significance to the human species.
Email:staci@savzsea.com
