Two whales, including a rarely seen false killer whale, and about 10 sea turtles washed up on Outer Banks beaches over the weekend, likely in part because of the nasty weather.Read more at the Virginia Pilot
February 18, 2004 - Sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) stranded in Corolla, NC
A stranding is the beaching of a live or dead marine mammal. North Carolina experiences the highest number of strandings, per unit length of beach, of any state along the Atlantic or Gulf coasts – 123 marine mammals stranded in North Carolina in 2007. We also experience the highest species diversity of marine mammals along the Atlantic coast. All but two species, known to occur in the North Atlantic, have stranded on North Carolina beaches. Marine mammal strandings are, thus, common events in our coastal environment.
A marine mammal stranding is also an important event that offers researchers a unique opportunity to gather data from these federally protected species. Those data are used to better understand the biology of marine mammals, to document our impacts on them, and ultimately to help ensure their conservation.
To learn more about marine mammal strandings visit the UNCW Marine Mammal Stranding site.
Nancy
outerbanksharvest
Michelle
