Recommended Curriculum

Marine Mammal Stranding Response Training

The modules presented here cover essential and optional topics for training. Trainers may select appropriate modules for in-depth training sessions depending on circumstance, local taxa and species,, regional issues, and participant skill levels.

Category: CORE
Lesson Plan Modules

1. INTRODUCTORY PRESENTATIONS (Essential)
   Marine mammal basics need to be covered before any training presentation. Focus on the uniqueness of marine mammals and threats they face in the aquatic environment. Explain the need to protect marine mammals and their habitats, the value of a response network and marine mammal research in general. The information should be contextualized given participant backgrounds and regional interests.
   1. Marine Mammal Introduction (Basic biology, anatomy, life history, taxonomy, behavior). Includes cetaceans, pinnipeds, and sirenians.
   2. The value of stranding response (Data, ecological, healthy ecosystems, cultural significance, animal welfare)
2. GENERAL STRANDING RESPONSE (Essential)
   The emphasis is on relaying that human safety is paramount to any response action. Risks come from the environment, the animal, and from errant human behavior. It is therefore, important to be aware and prepared for these different situations. This module covers the first steps before an actual response is initiated and includes topics such as scene assessment, proper reporting of the stranding event to the authorities, and data documentation (photos and forms). LINK TO COMMON PRESENTATIONS COLLECTION IN WHOAS REPOSITORY
   1. Human safety and health
   2. Accurately receive and record call or report of a stranded animal
   3. Stranding scene assessment upon arrival
   4. Best practices of data recording
   5. Document the event and the individual animal with images
   6. Species identification
   7. Information dissemination
3. SMALL CETACEAN STRANDING RESPONSE
   Small cetaceans include animals such as porpoises and most dolphins, but exclude larger odontocetes such as Risso’s dolphins and pilot whales, which may require a different approach. An outline of topics to be covered is provided below. Details are available in individual presentation modules for live and dead small cetacean response. LINK TO SMALL CETACEAN STRANDING RESPONSE COLLECTION IN WHOAS REPOSITORY
   1. Live Animals
      1. Assess the stranding scene upon arrival.
         • Human safety
         • Animal safety
         • Species ID
         • Behavioral observations
         • Individual animal ID
         • Initial photos
         • Determine accessibility
         • Information dissemination
      2. Provide supportive care to stranded cetaceans to increase likelihood of survival and improve welfare during stranding.
         • Human safety
         • Protection from the environment
         • Righting the animal
         • Protection from Predators
         • Proper handling
      3. Assist experienced responders in completing a health assessment for each individual animal.
         • Human safety
         • Monitoring vital parameters
         • Observing behavior/activity
         • Take basic morphometrics
         • Determine approximate age class
         • Assess nutritional condition/body condition
         • Assess for evidence of Human Interaction
      4. Assist experienced responders in stretchering, transport, and disposition
         • Human safety
         • Stretchering
         • Supportive Care
      5. Assist in determining the optimal disposition for each animal
         • Understand the available options for each animal
         • Understand the factors considered in decision-making
         • Assist in determining the disposition of the animal
      6. Understand the basic principles of data recording. Record data accurately throughout a stranding event.
      7. Document the stranding scene, event, and individual animals with images.
         • Understand the importance of thorough photodocumentation
         • Use photographs to document the stranding scene
   2. Dead Animals
      1. Assess the stranding scene upon arrival.
         • Human safety
         • Species ID
         • Initial photos
         • Determine accessibility
         • Information dissemination
      2. Assist experienced responders in completing an external exam for each individual animal.
         • Human safety
         • Determine approximate age class
         • Determine carcass condition
         • Assess nutritional condition/body condition
         • Human interaction evaluation
      3. Document appropriate morphometrics.
         • Equipment
         • Proper protocols
      4. Assist experienced responders in sample collection.
         • Proper protocols
         • Equipment
      5. Understand the basic principles of data recording. Record data accurately throughout a stranding event.
      6. Document the stranding scene, event, and individual animals with images.
         • Understand the importance of thorough photodocumentation
         • Use photographs to document the stranding scene
4. PINNIPED STRANDING RESPONSE
   Stranding response actions for pinnipeds and small cetaceans are very similar. Differences are highlighted in the relevant sections of live and dead stranding response of the training modules. For example, there can be differences in the handling of live pinnipeds and types of biological data collected.
   1. Live Animals
      1. Assess the stranding scene upon arrival.
         • Human safety
         • Animal safety
         • Species ID
         • Behavioral observations
         • Individual animal ID
         • Initial photos
         • Determine accessibility
         • Information dissemination
      2. Assist experienced responders in completing a health assessment for each individual animal.
         • Human safety
         • Monitoring vital parameters
         • Determine approximate age class
         • Assess nutritional condition/body condition
         • Properly photograph an animal
         • Evaluate for signs of human interaction (HI)
         • Be familiar with ‘normal’ behavior and movements
      3. Assist in determining the optimal disposition for each animal.
         • Understand the available options for the animal
         • Understand the factors considered in decision-making
         • Assist in determining the disposition of the animal
      4. Assist experienced responders in rescue and containment of the animal.
         • Human safety
         • Equipment
         • Rescue techniques
      5. Assist experienced responders in animal transport.
         • Human safety
         • Basic principles of transport
         • Importance of thermoregulation
      6. Understand the basic principles of data recording. Record data accurately throughout a stranding event.
   2. Dead Animals
      1. Assess the stranding scene upon arrival.
         • Human safety
         • Species ID
         • Initial photos
         • Determine accessibility
         • Information dissemination
      2. Assist experienced responders in completing an external exam for each individual animal.
         • Human safety
         • Determine approximate age class
         • Determine carcass condition
         • Assess nutritional condition/body condition
      3. Document appropriate morphometrics.
         • Understand the importance of accurate measurements
         • Recognize common measurements for pinnipeds
      4. Understand the basic principles of data recording. Record data accurately throughout a stranding event.
         • Identify important information associated with samples
         • Understand important aspects of completing a form
         • Equipment
      5. Assist experienced responders in sample collection.
         • Understand the safety issues associated with sample collection
         • Understand potential outcomes for collected samples
      6. Document the stranding scene, event, and individual animals with images.
         • Understand the importance of thorough photodocumentation
         • Use photographs to document the stranding scene
      7. Assist in determining the optimal disposition for each animal.
         • Understand the available options for the animal
         • Understand the factors considered in decision-making
         • Assist in determining the disposition of the animal
5. LARGE CETACEAN STRANDING RESPONSE
   Responding to large whales and dolphins involves risk and requires expertise and greater resources (both personnel and equipment). A brief overview is provided in the modules for dead large whales. For live whales, we briefly describe the risks, concern and resources available for handling live large whales. In both cases, expert, experienced help must be sought in dealing with these large animals. (LINK)
   1. Dead Animals
   2. Live Animals
6. SIRENIANS (TO BE COVERED IN FUTURE MODULES)
7. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
   Specific steps in the response effort do not change if there are multiple animals involved. However, mass stranding events or when animals are located in inaccessible or difficult areas, the scale and magnitude of resources (both manpower and material) can be pretty high. Responders are advised to seek expert help and understand the risks involved in such situations.
   1. Mass Strandings
      • Definitions
      • Understanding principles of large event response organization
      • Accurately receive and record a call or report of a stranded marine mammal.
      • Implement basic stranding response procedures in context of a large event
   2. Out of habitat marine mammal response
      • What does this mean?
      • When and how to intervene
      • Tools and principles
   3. Euthanasia
      • Principles of euthanasia
      • Available methods
      • Challenges and considerations
   4. Mass mortality events/Unusual Mortality Events
      • Definitions
      • Large event management and organization
      • Special considerations
8. BUILDING A STRANDING NETWORK
   Establishing a stranding response network is no trivial task and cannot be accomplished overnight. Some guidelines for establishing the network are provided in the training module, and fall into 4 main categories (LINK TO MODULE):
   1. Permission and authority
   2. Trained personnel – recruiting, training and managing volunteers
   3. Communication capability
   4. Sustainability: infrastructure, funding, transportation, and other resources
   5. Data and sample management