#marine mammal stranding

From land-borne pathogens to high-speed vessel strikes, Pacific whales and dolphins are caught in a “perfect storm” where human-caused trauma and infectious diseases were found in more than 65% of investigated strandings. A study spanning nearly two decades by University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researchers provides insights into the threats whales and dolphins face in the Pacific Islands. 

Members of the Pacific Islands Region NOAA Response Team received the call for assistance at around 7:30 a.m. reporting a stranded marine mammal. Officials say crews attempted to assess and stabilize the animal upon arrival, but say it had to be humanely euthanized and passed away about two hours later.