You have found a live-stranded cetacean (whale, dolphin or porpoise) on the beach?

What can you do to help?

  1. Approach the animal calmly and carefully. Keep away from the tail!
  2. Shield the animal from unnecessary noise and disturbance. People, dogs and wild animals should be kept at a distance.
  3. Do not move the animal by pulling on its fins or tail. But stabilize its upright position by digging trenches under the pectoral fins (flippers), or by propping it against wet towels. Make sure the blowhole (on top of the head) is always above the water surface!
  4. Check that the blowhole is free, carefully remove any sand or other things if necessary.
  5. Keep the animal wet. Cover it with sheets or towels if possible, douse it with water. Make sure the blowhole is never covered, and do not pour water over it! Provide shade if possible.
  6. Call professional help! A list of institutions responsible for cetacean rescue in the ASCOBANS Area is provided below. The experts of these "stranding networks" are especially trained how to respond to stranding emergencies. They must decide about medical care and if the animal can be returned into the ocean. Provide detailed information about location, weather conditions and the animal affected.
  7. Do not attempt to release the animal into the ocean before the rescue team has arrived. Stay with the animal and keep providing the first aid as outlined above until they can take over.

 

Responsible for Cetacean Rescue:

Belgium

Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS), Management Unit of the North Sea Mathematical Models (MUMM)

Telephone number: 059 70 01 31 (office hours)

Outside office hours: 0477 25 90 06 / 0473 953059 / 0475 46 60 68

Denmark

  • Denmarks museum for the sea (FIMUS)

Telephone number: +45 7612 2000, email: fimus@fimus.dk, website 

  • DTU-CfD (Center for Diagnostics)

Telephone number: +45 93 51 16 45, email: hhpet@vet.dtu.dk, website

  • Nature Agency (Ministry of Environment and Food of Denmark)

Find the local unit here: https://naturstyr elsen.dk/lokaleenheder/ 

Finland

Turku University of Applied Sciences

Email: olli.loisa@turkuamk.fi 

France

Joint Service Unit ObservatoirePelagis, UMS 3462 University of La Rochelle/CNRS

Telephone number: +33 (0) 5 46 44 99 10,  email: pelagis@univ-lr.fr

https://www.observatoire-pelagis.cnrs.fr/ 

Germany

  • Deutsches Meeresmuseum

Telephone number: +49 3831 2650 310 / +49 173 9688 267, email: michael.daehne@meeresmuseum.deSichtungskarte, Sichtungmelden 

  • Insitute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Werftstraße 6, 25761 Büsum

Telephone number: +49 511 856 – 8158, email:  Ursula.siebert@tiho-hannover.de, website

  • Agency for Coastal Defence, National Park and Marine Conservation Schleswig-Holstein

Telephone number: + 49 4861 616-22, email: Britta.Diederichs@lkn.landsh.de, website

    Lithuania

    Telephone number: +370 646 21322

    Lithuanian Sea Museum, Smiltynės str. 3, LT-93100, Klaipėda

    http://www.muziejus.lt/

    Netherlands

    SOS Dolfijn

    Telephone number: 06 - 650 98 576

    http://www.sosdolfijn.nl/

    Poland

    Hel Marine Station of the Institute of Oceanography, University of Gdansk, Morska 2, PL - 84-150 Hel

    Telephone number: +48 58 6750 836

    Contact person: Iwona Pawliczka, email: iwona.pvp@ug.edu.pl, tel: +48 58 67 51 316

    United Kingdom

    England & Wales:  

    • British Divers Marine Life Rescue: 

    Weekdays 9am-5pm: 01825 765546 
    All other times and Bank Holidays: 07787 433412

    • Welsh Marine Life Rescue: 01646 692943

    Scotland: 

    • Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA): +44 8000 999999, website
    • British Divers Marine Life Rescue: 

    Weekdays 9am-5pm: 01825 765546 
    All other times and Bank Holidays: 07787 433412

      Northern Ireland:

      • Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

      Telephone number: +44 28 905 69757, email: Marine.Wildlife@daera-ni.gov.uk, website

      • British Divers Marine Life Rescue 

      Weekdays 9am-5pm: 01825 765546
      All other times and Bank Holidays: 07787 433412

      Email: julia@bdmlr.org.ukinfo@bdmlr.org.uk , website

      • Portrush Coastal Zone 028 70823600

      Isle of Man

      Department of the Environment, Food and Agriculture

      Telephone number: +44 16246858 44 / +44 76243005 25, email: peter.duncan@gov.im, website

      Sweden

      Swedish Museum of National History

      Website: www.nrm.se/tumlare