Stranded Whales, Manatees, Dolphins: Who To Call In Maryland

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Warmer weather brings more than boaters and tourists to Maryland waters and beaches — dolphins, whales, manatees, sea turtles, and other protected marine animals swim into Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, and can sometimes become stranded on unfamiliar beaches. Do you know what to do or who to call if you see a stranded animal?

DNR experts say if you see an animal on a beach, leave it alone. In the past century, more than 25 species of marine mammals and sea turtles have been recorded in and around state waters. The most common visitors are the bottlenose dolphin and loggerhead sea turtles.

Marine mammals are specifically protected by federal law, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, while sea turtles and whales are protected under the 1973 Endangered Species Act. It is illegal to harass, capture, or collect these marine species, alive or dead, including their bones or any body parts.

"While these marine animals are an awesome sight, sometimes they can be disoriented and lost, leading to a marine mammal or sea turtle stranding," Maryland Department of Natural Resources State Fish and Wildlife Veterinarian Cindy Driscoll said last summer. "It is important that the public understand that some of these animals are protected by law and should be treated with care and compassion."

When dolphins, whales and manatees appear in Maryland's waters, residents typically capture the visit on video. A charter boat worker from Lusby posted video of what he believes was a humpback whale breaching the water repeatedly in April 2016. The footage shows the whale in the distance emerging from the water. Dave Lehan recorded the footage just off Solomons Island near the mouth of the Patuxent River.

And in July 2017 pods of bottlenose dolphins in the waters around Annapolis and Ocean City were caught by boaters in footage on YouTube of the mammals frolicking in the Severn River, as well as off the coast near Ocean City. A sailboat passenger captured dolphins at play near where the Rhode River and West River come together.

The sea grasses of Chesapeake Bay draw endangered manatees north to Maryland to graze in the summer months. A manatee was found dead in the cold waters of Colgate Creek near Dundalk in December 2017, say state officials, who believe winter water temperature in Maryland were too cold for the animal to survive. The creatures, sometimes called sea cows, should spend the winter months in the warmer climes of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

More than a dozen aquatic animals find themselves stranded on Maryland's inland and ocean coasts every year. Maryland's Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding program staff handle these call in state waters, including the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean.

Marine animals are protected under federal law, while turtles and whales are protected under the 1973 Endangered Species Act. The law prohibits any form of capturing, collecting or harassing these aquatic animals (either dead or alive).

If you find a stranded marine mammal or sea turtle, here's what to do:

• Do not touch the animal – even if it is dead.
• Call Maryland's Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Program at 1-800-628-9944.
• Record the location using latitude/longitude, a street address, and/or description with landmarks.
• Record the length, size, color, noticeable body parts and movements (if alive).
• Take photos of the animal.
• Stand by the animal until a stranding staff person calls or arrives.