In the United Kingdom it is estimated that 35 cetaceans strand alive each year. The cause of this phenomenon, whereby whales and dolphins beach themselves, is little understood. Without professional help, however, the victims of these strandings rarely survive. The U.K.-based British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) was founded in 1988 to provide emergency assistance to distressed marine life, not only during strandings, but also in the event of oil spills or entanglement. To help increase the survival rate of the marine life affected by these tragedies, the organization developed its internationally renowned Marine Mammal Medic course, which trains volunteers to respond to calls about marine mammals in difficulty, focusing particularly on whales, dolphins and seals. Those who complete the course become part of BDMLR’s trained rescue team, which is on-call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Run entirely by volunteers, BDMLR has trained more than 5,000 individuals, and responds to marine-life emergencies both in the U.K. and abroad. It’s the only marine-animal rescue organization that operates throughout the United Kingdom, and often works alongside the emergency services.
When it comes to assisting stranded or injured marine mammals, training is essential, as an animal in pain may perceive humans as a threat and react accordingly. Whales and dolphins can inflict serious injuries with their powerful flukes, while seals have sharp teeth and claws; therefore, knowing how to minimize an animal’s stress levels and how to approach it correctly are vital for a safe rescue. There are also considerable risks involved to the animal itself if a rescue is attempted without proper training. Despite their size (and sometimes because of it), marine mammals are very vulnerable on land, and incorrect handling could easily exacerbate their injuries. Because an understanding of marine mammal physiology and behavior is so important for a successful rescue, BDMLR’s Marine Mammal Medic training course combines physical training with theoretical learning. The course, which takes a day to complete, begins with a series of lectures given by BDMLR’s experienced instructors, with topics including marine-mammal biology, physiology and identification, health and safety procedures for rescue and training work, and the specific first-aid and rescue techniques used for seals and cetaceans.
The afternoon session of the Marine Mammal Medic course is dedicated to practical training, and involves practicing rescue techniques on life-size models of seals, dolphins and whales. Obviously, this requires wading in and out of the water, and candidates should expect to get wet. This section of the course can be physically demanding, too; after all, the pilot-whale model weighs in at two tons. It is also a lot of fun, and the training exercises involve both teamwork and role-play as candidates learn how to handle injured seals, lift stranded dolphins, and refloat beached whales. This section of the course illustrates just how difficult aiding these animals can be. The role of a marine-mammal medic is similar to that of an Emergency First Responder: to contact the appropriate services, to make the afflicted animal as comfortable as possible, and to offer immediate lifesaving assistance. The course also teaches candidates to record information that will help a qualified veterinarian establish whether or not the animal is rescuable. Often, animals strand themselves as a result of serious illness or injury, and in some cases, euthanasia may be the most humane option.
As a supplement to this course, BDMLR has developed a Marine Mammal Medic handbook, which clearly outlines the rescue procedures. This authority on marine mammal is used globally by several different governmental and charitable organizations. Those who complete the course become part of a national network of rescuers, aided by specialized BDMLR equipment, which includes rescue boats, equipment trailers, whale and dolphin pontoon sets, medical kits with essential supplies, and even a whale disentanglement kit. The course typically trains between 20 and 30 candidates per session, and the cost of the course includes the Marine Mammal Medic handbook, a photo ID card, a certificate proving your new qualification, and a year’s personal and public liability insurance cover. The Marine Mammal Medic course is open to any able-bodied individual with an interest in helping distressed marine life. Ultimately, the more people who train as marine-mammal medics the better, because with every new certification, the better the chance of survival for those animals affected by disasters like strandings and entanglement.
Note: Similar marine mammal medic courses exist in other countries, too, meaning that wherever you are, you can acquire the training necessary to get involved with rescues like those carried out by BDMLR.
