{"id":3257,"date":"2024-03-01T16:32:58","date_gmt":"2024-03-01T21:32:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mote.org\/?post_type=program&p=3257"},"modified":"2024-12-12T20:46:30","modified_gmt":"2024-12-13T01:46:30","slug":"stranding-investigations","status":"publish","type":"program","link":"https:\/\/mote.org\/research\/program\/stranding-investigations\/","title":{"rendered":"Stranding Investigations"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>\"\"To report a stranded dolphin, whale, manatee or sea turtle (dead or alive) within coastal Southwest Florida, please call the Stranding Investigations Program’s 24-hour hotline:<\/span><\/p>\n

888-345-2335<\/strong><\/big><\/p>\n

Find other wildlife-friendly tips\u00a0learn about the Sea Turtle Protection Zone<\/a> in Sarasota Bay, Florida:<\/p>\n

Protect Marine Life<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

The Stranding Investigations Program provides 24-hour response to sick, injured and deceased marine mammals and sea turtles within the coastal waters of Southwest Florida, mainly in Sarasota and Manatee counties. The program also offers logistical support to state biologists in the verification and rescue of sick, injured or deceased manatees, an endangered species living in Florida\u2019s coastal waters.<\/p>\n

Stranded cetaceans (whales and dolphins) and sea turtles are recovered and transported to Mote. Most calls are for deceased animals. In those cases, SIP staff performs detailed post-mortem examinations known as necropsies (animal autopsies). The information gathered during necropsy helps to evaluate the long-term mortality trends of these species, especially as it relates to pathology or human-related activities. Such research data are crucial to species management and conservation.<\/p>\n

In the case of live-stranded sea turtles, SIP works with Mote’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital for treatment with the goal of release. For live-stranded mammals, SIP works with state and federal agencies to determine the best course of action for each situation, often collaborating with rehabilitation-and-release partners.<\/p>\n

The Stranding Investigations Program has been involved in sea turtle strandings since 2003 and has recovered more than 2,000 turtles during that time. Seven species of sea turtles are found globally, and five of the species are found in the Gulf of Mexico. The Program has responded to strandings of each of these five species as part of the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network authorized through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The Program also works closely with Mote’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital and its Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Program. Many of these efforts have been supported in part by grants awarded from the Sea Turtle Grants Program, which is funded by sales of the Florida Sea Turtle License Plate (www.helpingseaturtles.org<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Mote Marine Laboratory has been providing stranding support for cetaceans since 1969, when they attempted rescue of dolphins during a mass stranding off Sarasota. The Stranding Investigations Program was formally established in 1985 and, since then, Mote staff have responded to more than 780 cetacean strandings of 19 species.<\/p>\n

The Program is a member of the Southeastern U.S. Marine Mammal Stranding Network, a group of marine animal rescue organizations under the direction of NOAA\u2019s National Marine Fisheries Service.<\/p>\n

At Mote, the Stranding Investigations Program works closely with the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, which studies the lives of bottlenose dolphins in Sarasota Bay as part of the world\u2019s longest-running study of a wild dolphin population. In this way, the Strandings Program helps uncover the causes of death for animals closely studied during their lives and plays a crucial role in wider species conservation.<\/p>\n

Following the necropsy of the recovered cetaceans, the bones are cleaned, examined and catalogued in the Ruth DeLynn Osteological Collection at Mote. This curated collection, accredited by the American Society of Mammalogists, catalogues the bones of dolphins and whales and is available for study by qualified researchers.<\/p>\n

Combined, these efforts illuminate these protected species’ way of life and provided crucial information about their causes of death.<\/p>\n\n

\n
\n
\n \n \"Mote <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n Mote scientists conduct an animal autopsy (called a necropsy) for a deceased dolphin to better understand what happened to it and gain insights for conservation. <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n
\n
\n \n \"A <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n A young manatee in distress is held in a small pool by trained responders. Mote's Stranding Investigations Program assists in the response to stranded and dead manatees, aiding the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the state lead for manatee rescue and recovery. <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n
\n
\n \n \"Mote <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n Mote staff join partners in a federally led marine mammal stranding network and local law enforcement teams to respond to a stranded sperm whale alongshore of Venice, Florida. Photo by: Hayley Rutger \/ Mote Marine Laboratory <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n
\n
\n \n \"Mote <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n Mote Stranding Investigations Program Manager Gretchen Lovewell demonstrates the uses of an alternate light source imagery kit, a tool Mote uses to investigate markings on deceased marine animals to better understand what happened to them. In this case, she shines a purple light and views results through yellow-orange goggles to increase contrast and visibility. Photo credit: Hayley Rutger \/ Mote Marine Laboratory <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n
\n
\n \n \"A <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n A stranded loggerhead sea turtle is lifted by Mote staff. <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n
\n
\n \n \"\" <\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n Staff from Mote's Stranding Investigations Program (SIP) examine dolphin bones in Mote's \"Bone Room\" (more officially known as the Ruth DeLynn Cetacean Osteological Collection). Photos taken on Wednesday, October 14, 2020. Pictured: Amber Lea Kincaid, Stranding Biologist; Jessica Blackburn, Stranding Biologist. Photo by Cameron McPhail\/Mote Marine Laboratory. <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n\n \n

 <\/p>\n

Program Details<\/h2>\n
\n \n Current Projects\n <\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n
    \n
  • Digitizing of the Ruth DeLynn Cetacean Osteological Collection<\/li>\n
  • Food habit studies of stranded dolphins and sea turtles<\/li>\n
  • Cause of mortality in cetaceans stranded near Sarasota County<\/li>\n
  • Dolphin\/stingray interactions in Sarasota Bay<\/li>\n
  • Identifying vessel-strike prone areas for sea turtles along Sarasota’s inshore coastline: a spatial and temporal analysis<\/li>\n
  • Comparing boat-strike characteristics among different species of sea turtles in Sarasota and Manatee counties<\/li>\n
  • Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on human interaction in stranded dolphins<\/li>\n
  • Prevalence and prognosis of trauma-related kyphosis in stranded green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>
    \n \n Student Research Support\n <\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n
    \n
    \n

    The Stranding Investigations Program regularly supports graduate and undergraduate research through our internship program. Since 2009, at least 20 former SIP interns have acquired paid positions working in a related field, and at least 17 former interns have obtained or are currently pursuing graduate or veterinary degrees.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>

    \n \n Grants Received\n <\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n
    \n
    \n

    Current funding:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Sarasota County for rapid removal and examination of stranded sea turtles and marine mammals in Sarasota County<\/li>\n
    • Manatee County for marine mammal stranding response in Manatee County<\/li>\n
    • Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for manatee rescue and verification in Manatee and Sarasota Counties<\/li>\n
    • NOAA Fisheries John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program for rapid detection and response to cetacean mortalities, capacity building for large whale response, small cetacean disentanglement, training and forensics<\/li>\n
    • National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>
      \n \n Research Collaborations\n <\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n
      \n
      \n
        \n
      • Analysis of brevetoxin levels in tissues from stranded animals by Dr. Leanne Flewelling at Florida Wildlife Research Institute<\/li>\n
      • Histological analysis of stranded animals by the College of Veterinary Medicine, Zoological Pathology program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign<\/li>\n
      • Ongoing monitoring of Sarasota Bay dolphin population and coordination of local rescues with Dr. Randall Wells of Chicago Zoological Society’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program based at Mote Marine Laboratory<\/li>\n
      • Genetic and stable isotope analysis of stranded cetaceans with Dr. Deborah Duffield at Portland State University<\/li>\n
      • Providing ongoing data and samples to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for projects such as a stock structure and spatiotemporal analyses<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2708,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","areas-of-research":[12,11],"research-program-type":[1039],"class_list":["post-3257","program","type-program","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","areas-of-research-conservation-restoration-monitoring","areas-of-research-marine-animal-rescue-rehabilitation","research-program-type-mote-research-programs"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nStranding Investigations | Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mote.org\/research\/program\/stranding-investigations\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Stranding Investigations | Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"To report a stranded dolphin, whale, manatee or sea turtle (dead or alive) within coastal Southwest Florida, please call the Stranding Investigations Program’s 24-hour hotline: 888-345-2335 Find other wildlife-friendly tips\u00a0learn …\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/mote.org\/research\/program\/stranding-investigations\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-12-13T01:46:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/mote.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/DolphinRecovery_20180821_006_1-bmvol.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mote.org\/research\/program\/stranding-investigations\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mote.org\/research\/program\/stranding-investigations\/\",\"name\":\"Stranding Investigations | Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mote.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mote.org\/research\/program\/stranding-investigations\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mote.org\/research\/program\/stranding-investigations\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/mote.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/DolphinRecovery_20180821_006_1-bmvol.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-03-01T21:32:58+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-12-13T01:46:30+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mote.org\/research\/program\/stranding-investigations\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/mote.org\/research\/program\/stranding-investigations\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mote.org\/research\/program\/stranding-investigations\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mote.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/DolphinRecovery_20180821_006_1-bmvol.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/mote.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/DolphinRecovery_20180821_006_1-bmvol.jpg\",\"width\":900,\"height\":600,\"caption\":\"Mote's Stranding Investigations Program respond to a deceased dolphin on Aug. 21 on Manasota Key. 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