Marine Mammal Strandings
How to report a marine mammal stranding
If you see an injured or stranded marine animal, it can be tempting to rush to help or look at it but please do not approach or touch it.
Contact one of the following organisations and be prepared to give your name, contact details, the location and time of the sighting, what you saw and the weather conditions at the time.
Reporting a LIVE animal stranding
British Divers Marine Life Rescue
BDMLR are dedicated to the rescue and well-being of marine animals in distress around the UK. To report a stranding:
During office hours, call 01825 765546
Week days after 5pm, weekends or Bank Holidays, call 07787 433412
BDMLR will advise what to do and get a trained medic out as soon as possible.
Royal Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
You can also report strandings and animals in distress to the RSPCA
Contact them on on 0300 1234 999.
Reporting a DEAD animal stranding
Marine Strandings Network - Cornwall and Devon
A team of trained volunteers, co-ordinated by The Wildlife Trusts are on hand to assist, record the stranding information, organise a post-mortem (necropsy) if required and collect valuable data.
All the information gathered by the Marine Strandings Network is passed on to the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme and used to help discover causes of strandings, inform research and aim to improve protections.
Find out who to contact in your area below:
If you find a dead animal around the Cornish coastline - call 03452012626 or email strandings@cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk
If you find a dead animal around the Devon coastline- call 07719086531 or email strandings@devonwildlifetrust.org.uk
UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme
UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CIPA) investigate and document whales, dolphins and porpoises, marine turtles and basking sharks that strand around the UK coastline, including establishing cause of death.
Report the stranding of a dead animal to CSIP on 0800 6520 333.