Marine Mammal Medicine
Marine Mammal News
Posted:
02/12/10 Rachel returns from the 5th Annual Alaska Stranding Network Meeting in Seward hosted by the AK SeaLife Center
12/06/09 The Alaska Marine Gala in Anchorage (1/17/10) featuring Jean-Michel Cousteau (External Link)
12/05/09 Stranding events for 2008: 185 involving 236-238 marine mammals. 2008 Draft Report (NOAA Link)
11/23/09 "Thieving whale" caught on video: Science Daily Article link (External Link)
09/09/09 Marine Mammal Skeleton Project: See these giant mammals close up through this exhibit. (External Link)
07/08/09 In memory of "Skittle" the sea otter pup who died at the SeaLife Center. (External Links)
If you see an injured or dead marine mammal please notify at least one of the following as soon as possible: Marine Mammal Stranding Event Notification Online Form (External Link) Stranding Hotline (National Marine Fisheries Service) 1.877.925.7773
Dr. Rachel Dziuba: 907.957.5022
Alaska SeaLife Center: 1.888.774.SEAL (7325)
If there is time to do so, document as much information as you can about the animal(s) without touching or moving them. If your cell phone has a GPS application, the exact coordinates of the stranding can be documented. Additionally, the date, number of animals and species would be most helpful to researchers. Thank you in advance for being observant on your treks.
Marine Mammal Involvement
Rachel became active in marine mammal medicine through the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Harbor Seal Research Program in April of 2004. After her initial involvement as a volunteer veterinarian in the program, she later became the contracted veterinary surgeon. While harbor seals, porpoises and to a lesser extent, sea lions, constitute most of Rachel's involvement, working at the Alaska Sealife Center in Seward broadened her species exposure. Continuing education at the Marine Mammal Center in California also introduced Rachel to more species and specific medical techniques for these animals. In Juneau, the Ted Stevens Marine Research Institute houses a necropsy laboratory for this labor-intensive work and Dr. Dziuba appreciates this lab for medical investigations into causes of death. She is both thrilled and humbled to collaborate among the finest marine wildlife scientists in the world.
Question: What happens when the Stranding Network is activated?
Reply: Authorized individuals trained to assess and transport the animal (if warranted) will respond to the scene as soon as possible. It takes skilled coordination by dedicated individuals within the Network to plan logistics considering many strandings occur in remote locations. For example, local Juneauites spotted a young harbor seal high and dry on the Mendenhall Wetlands in 2008. They monitored the little seal at a distance for some time and contacted the Stranding Network. It was determined that this seal was abandoned and not thriving. He was eating sand. It's plausible that recent high tides had separated the pup from his mother though we will never know for sure. After medical support was administered by Dr. Dziuba, the skinny pup was transported by air to the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward in a safe dog crate. With intensive rehabilitation at the SeaLife Center over the summer, the pup, named "Garnet," was ready for release. Now a plump little torpedo, Garnet was flown back to Juneau and released into waters not far from where he was found. The locals who found Garnet were present as was the original Stranding Network Team. Garnet was fitted with a temporary satellite tracking device and his travels as well as his rehab "Narrative" can be read on his AK SeaLife Center Page (External Link).
Marine Mammal Affiliations and Projects (External Links)
Glacier Bay Harbor Seal Capture Trip Summary
Because strandings are unpredictable, Rachel may be called out to remote areas with limited or no communication access. We make a good faith attempt to inform our regular veterinary clients of these absences.