The job of protecting Georgia’s marine mammals covers a wide range of duties, from the rewarding work of freeing a dolphin caught in fishing gear to the undesirable task of determining the cause of death for a stranded whale. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) responds to situations such as these by coordinating the Georgia Marine Mammal Stranding Network.

In the past six months, the network responded to 12 marine mammal strandings and one bottlenose dolphin entanglement. Stranded species included one Atlantic spotted dolphin, six bottlenose dolphins, two dwarf sperm whales and three pygmy sperm whales. The number of strandings along Georgia’s coast varies from roughly 20 to 40 per year, with 15 events documented to date in 2005.

“Investigating marine mammal strandings is one of the primary ways that we monitor the health of their populations,” said WRD Wildlife Biologist Clay George. “It’s important for the public to report dead and injured dolphins, whales, and manatees to Georgia DNR, Coast Guard, or local authorities.”

The Georgia Marine Mammal Stranding Network (GMMSN) responds to live stranded animals, documents deaths, investigates unusual mortality events such as disease outbreaks and collects long-term data on populations. The network depends on cooperation from numerous federal, state and local government entities, private landowners and other private organizations.

The GMMSN includes cooperators from The Cumberland Island Museum, St. Catherines Island Foundation, Tybee Island Marine Science Center, UGA Marine Extension, Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, National Parks Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary, Jekyll Island Authority, Sea Island, Little St. Simons Island, and Little Cumberland Island, and various state and local governments.

Prompt, detailed reports of sightings can help the network provide a faster response to stranded marine mammals. Consider these tips:

· Residents who encounter a dead or injured whale, dolphin or manatee should call the Georgia DNR at (800) 2-SAVE-ME or notify local law enforcement.

· Never approach a live stranded animal or attempt to push it back into the water. These animals can inflict injury, and some can carry diseases that are infectious to humans.

· Note the exact location of any dead marine mammal and take a picture if possible, reporting this information to the Georgia DNR.

Responding to strandings along Georgia’s 100-mile coastline and its isolated barrier islands requires significant resources. Much of the funding for the network comes from sales of Georgia’s Nongame Wildlife License Plate, which depicts a bald eagle and an American Flag. The network also receives periodic grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.