Humpback - 'Beamer'
3rd March

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Yesterday, March 1st, Tayforth medics Gareth Norman, Nick Duthie & Elaine Roft with Chris Still from Port Edgar Port Authorities conducted a survey of vessels in the Forth that were apparently bombarding our Humpback "Beamer". Dive sequences were again recorded for passing on to Alan Knight and Dr Kevin Robinson to see if the mammals behaviour had changed over the last 3 weeks. There is concern over the amount of vessels that have been harassing Beamer, the worst one being the MOD Police Boat who has been using the vessel as a whale watching boat!. Various enquiries have been made from sources claiming that they require info for Europhlukes etc thus enabling them to go out and photograph the animal. Chris from the Port Edgar authorities has warned a vessel away already for literally chasing her, and has refused to take anyone out, unless its BDMLR or CRRU related. We have asked yachts at the marina as best as we can to respect her and leave her in peace, and Chris shall update Gareth regularly. If the problem persists then hopefully we can resolve it through the help and guidance of Alan and Dr Kev. Meantime dive sequences etc shall be posted on to both Alan and Kev along with GPS for the day. Overall yesterday wasn't too bad for her as there were 2 yachts in the afternoon, one of which was the silver darling skippered by Richard MacKenzie who is currently helping BDMLR and CRRU as a lookout post and shelter for the rib. The other yacht posed no threat to Beamer whatsoever. In the morning it was ourselves recording her behaviour from a great distance, but we did lock in to MOD police boat to explain that she had been harassed over the days and asked them to keep their distance. They were then handed leaflets explaining our work and we returned to the Marina for lunch. On public curiosity we explained that the whale was far out at sea and being monitored for vessel harassment. Will keep you all updated as the news comes in. Dr Kev has posted out a latest update from Maine so we are all aware of the latest on the research side of things.

Regards
Elaine Roft
BDMLR - Tayforth

BDMLR at London Dive Show
4th March

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March 1st and 2nd saw the London Dive Show take place and, as usual BDMLR was there. With a great stand medics were able to raise funds and raise awareness of the plight of marine wildlife. Although very supportive many divers were unaware of the issues such as by catch and PDV. Lots of membership forms were taken and newsletters disappeared like cakes at a tea party.

Everyone worked very hard, it is a long, long weekend. I hope all those who came to help the regulars felt their efforts were worth it! Special mention goes to Steve from Exmouth group who is great with a bucket! Craige who kept at it all weekend, helped by Bobby the monkey. Alan worked hard as did Geoff and his son Christopher and Gavin Parsons produced some excellent images for the stand. He also made 100 by running a silent auction with his wonderful image of the two dolphins in the waves.

The raffle was drawn and the winning numbers and names will follow soon.

Thanks to everyone who helped. It is an important event for BDMLR....now the NEC awaits in November. See you there?

Mark Stevens
Director BDMLR

'Forth humpback' update from the CRRU*
4th March

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'Beamer', the 13 metre Forth humpback whale has now been largely resident in this area for almost 3 weeks now. Researchers at the CRRU have been working closely with colleagues at the College of the Atlantic, but have been unable to establish a match with any of the humpbacks from the North Atlantic Humpback Whale Catalogue (NAHWC) (representing 5,380 individual animals from known breeding/calving grounds in the West Indies & Cape Verde Islands, and all feeding grounds from the Gulf of Maine and Scotian Shelf, Gulf of St. Lawrence, Newfoundland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and other areas in the Eastern North Atlantic (including animals from Ireland, Scotland, the Azores, Spain, and the Mediterranean)) or from the former (1992-1993) YoNAH Catalogue (or what's left of it, as this is slowly being intermatched with the NAHWC), and have therefore been unable to determine from which population this individual belongs. The Scottish whale has subsequently been issued a new HWC# all of its own.

What is most interesting in the case of this particular sighting is that the adult humpback is feeding at such a latitude at this time of year, when generally in the winter the species is known to inhabit lower latitude breeding / calving grounds (in the West Indies or Cape Verde Islands). Whilst humpbacks are known to overwinter in the north to some extent, it is not clear what that rate is and to what segment of the population they belong, e.g. juveniles. What is clear, however, is that we do appear to have a small gathering of these animals along the NE Scottish coastline at this time, and it would certainly be very interesting to know where they are coming from !

Dr. Kevin Robinson

[ * Cetacean Research (& Rescue) Unit ]

Full story at: http://www.crru.org.uk/rescue/news/forth.htm

Italians Develop 'Dolphin Saving Whistle'
6th March

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Sicilian fishermen, concerned over the number of dolphins captured in nets, turned to Italy's National Research Council (CNR) to find a solution.

After three years of research, which tapped the expertise of scientists throughout Europe, the result is a whistle that acts as a deterrent but doesn't harm the animals.

Called EMMA (Electroacoustic prototype for controlling the behavior of Marine Mammals), it's perceived by dolphins as a sort of 'warning signal' but isn't meant to frighten them.

"At first we thought of developing a signal that could provoke psychological reactions," said researcher Salvatore Mazzola. "For instance the sound of a whale, the natural enemy of the dolphin, or sounds made by dolphins in distress. But they're too smart -- we noticed that after a few weeks they grew used to it and realized there wasn't a real danger."
To overcome the problem, scientists had to come up with a way to interfere with the sonar of dolphins without harming them -- a kind of whistle linked to the nets that emits sounds that are both random in sequence and in volume.

Researchers knew they had a winner when the prototype kept mammals at bay during a three-month fishing period. Italian environmentalist groups have also applauded the result -- having long denounced the accidental capture of dolphins during fishing as a violation of EU protection measures. The Fisherman's Association of San Vito Lo Capo in the province of Trapani turned to the scientists after doing a few statistics -- they reckoned every boat accidentally trapped an average of one to three dolphins in a three-year period.

( source : www.zoomata.com )

Tayforth BDMLR News
8th March

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Tayforth medics Elaine Roft and Alan Brunton were called out to 2 grey seal pups on different days in different locations. Elaine was called to St Cyrus on 03.03.03 where she had a perfectly healthy pup bearing the mobile phone tagging device which sends txt messages back every 2 days, whilst Alans was in Carnoustie on 04.03.03 bearing the hat method - GPS Tracking system.

On calling SMRU (sea mammal research unit at St Andrews) it appeared that the pups were one of 59 tagged in November from the Isle of Mey (May?). Ailsa Hall from the Gatty Marine Lab at St Andrews was handed relevant information and photos for the 2 pups and BDMLR are to be notified over the next few weeks from the University re- the tagging process. BDMLR -Tayforth are now currently supporting SMRU by reporting all information back as and when pups appear. They were surprised at having 2 pups a day apart and were not expecting public response for a good few weeks (website and leaflets have still to be distributed and updated first!) looks like the pups caught them short!.

SMRU have thanked the medics for their prompt attention, response and feedback and assure the medics of future updates as and when they are received. 2 pups found another 57 to go!!! and yes Elaine named hers.."silver".standard practice so Alans is "rocky"

Regards
Elaine Roft
BDMLR - Tayforth

BDMLR Presentation - Plymouth
8th March

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On Thursday, March 6th. I joined the year 8 assembly of 180 students at Devonport High School For Boys.

The reason was James Cleave, one of the year 8 students who, with his younger sister had written to the Evening Herald after finding a dead dolphin on Wembury Beach, Devon. In his letter he expressed his sadness and anger at the fishing methods which causes these dolphin deaths. James did not leave it at that: He and his sister Victoria began collecting signatures for a petition. To date James has collected 300.

The BDMLR directors agreed that some kind of recognition was appropriate, and Kate Whelan put together a wonderful package.
As a result I was able not only to give a talk about the BDMLR, but also to present James with two certificates of thanks, one for James and one for Victoria, a BDMLR jacket with logo for James, and a BDMLR luxury key ring for Victoria.
I also made James an "honorary member" of the Plymouth team.
I gave James one of our cetacean identification booklets, and have sent a letter to the deputy head thanking them for their hospitality, and suggesting that James may be interested in becoming the BDMLR student representative. This might fit in nicely with his "citizenship" work in school.

50 BDMLR leaflets were left, together with some print-offs of pictures of Georges, and the Plymouth team refloating the model whale.
I also offered to set wheels in motion for the school to receive BDMLR News, if they so wish, so that other students will share the benefits.
James is keen to join the rescues, and I had to tell him that he would have to wait until he is 17+, when we would be happy for him to join one of our regional courses.

I felt the assembly went well, and I hope that BDMLR in their generosity have initiated an intake of future medics.

Arie den Hollander
Area co-ordinator. Devon

Hi all,

Here's an item in which one of the 'news' members has a leading role ... Steve McCulloch of the HBOI.

Please ensure that you also read Steve's response below.

Cheers,

Tony.

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Pygmy whale beaches itself, dies - Florida
9th March

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The 9-foot female whale was first spotted in shallow waters about 6 p.m. off Vero Beach.

March 9, 2003

A pygmy sperm whale died Saturday night after beaching itself near the Holiday Inn on Ocean Drive.

Hundreds of onlookers — many from the nearby Sunset Saturday Night street festival — crowded around the 9-foot female whale, which was first spotted in shallow waters about 6 p.m. For about an hour, the whale tried repeatedly to swim out to deeper waters, but it managed to move only a few hundred yards down the shoreline.

"There was a young guy out there, trying to push it back in, but the waves kept bringing it in," said 30-year-old Shanea Couturier, vacationing from Arizona. She and her nephews, Jordan and Taylor Picchiottino, of Canada, helped keep the whale still until a rescue team from Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution could arrive.

"She's barely alive," said Stephen McCulloch, director of the institution's dolphin research program. When he arrived about 7:40 p.m., he found the 1,200-pound whale's underside torn by sand and bleeding. "Her pulse is slow, her eye reflex is still there, but I haven't seen her take a breath."

Typically, pygmy whales take five to seven breaths a minute, he said.

The crowd grew as McCulloch and four others helped keep the whale stable against a rising tide, the waters darkened by blood and a purple ink emitted by the whale, possibly as a defense mechanism. Shortly after 8 p.m., McCulloch declared the whale dead.

"Unfortunately, this isn't uncommon," he said. "We have an individual stranding of a dolphin or a whale every week in Florida. Only about 1 to 2 percent are able to be rescued and rereleased into the ocean."

McCulloch could find no apparent signs the whale had been struck by a boat, but said it was probably ill, possibly suffering from a common heart condition called cardiomyopathy. Scientists believe the condition may be caused by a vitamin deficiency, as whales' food sources have become more scarce. Cardiomyopathy can make whales more susceptible to illness and subsequent beaching.

"No whale that is beached is healthy," McCulloch said. "They usually don't come anywhere near shallow waters, so beached whales can be a treasure trove for scientists. These animals are at the top of the food chain so they can be a barometer for the ocean's health."

As about 16 people used an oversized tarp to carry the whale to a nearby parking lot, McCulloch explained how the carcass would be dissected at the Fort Pierce institution, where scientists can determine the cause of death and possible reasons for beachings.

He said residents who spot beached whales should immediately call the Florida Marine Patrol at 1-800-DIAL-FMP. They should avoid pushing the whale back into the water and try to keep it stable until rescue workers can arrive.

( Source : www.tcpalm.com )

( Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute )

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Response to Pygmy Sperm Whale News Report : 09-03-03

There were a number of inaccuracies in this news report made by a cub-reporter on the beach during a difficult situation involving heavy surf, waves and rain. The whale was transported in a custom made stretcher to an awaiting specially designed dolphin ambulance and was NOT hauled in a tarp to a parking lot.

Lastly, the respiration rate of this offshore species is appx 1-2 breaths in a 5 minute period of time and is contingent upon their activity budget. In the rough surf, and under stress, the respiration rate of any stranded animal can be higher than normal, or less... depending on the actual condition of the animal.

Our paramount concern was to stabilize the animal, and provide an expedited transport to our critical care facility where this whale could be better evaluated in a controlled environment. Unfortunately, this particular animal was too far gone at the point we arrived and expired while still in the surf.

We run a highly professional operation and such information is disturbing to those of us who endeavor to provide quality care and rapid response.

A 6 hr. necropsy revealed cardiomyopathy and a heavy parasitical load of this a MALE Kogia breviceps.

Hope your reporters do a better job in reporting the facts on your side of the pond.

Thanks all-

Stephen D. McCulloch
Director of Dolphin and Whale Research
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution
Fort Pierce, FL USA

BDMLR - Hedgehog Rescue ??
12th March

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Dear all,

I have been working with St Tiggywinkles and Advocates for Animals and International Animal Rescue to try and save the lives of 5000 hedgehogs who are unfortunate enough to find themselves on the Island of North Uist in Scotland. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) have decided to rid the island of the hedgehogs and have decided to kill them. A consortium of animal welfare organisations are now arranging to collect hedgehogs from the island and fly them to a holding centre in Glasgow for distribution to homes throughout the UK. We are looking for volunteers to spend a week on Uist collecting hedgehogs.

If any medics out there want to help please contact Alan Knight ( BDMLR Director ) on 01825 767688 , alan@iar.org.uk

Cheers

Alan Knight
Chief Executive
International Animal Rescue

1st March U.K. Porpoise Stranding - Full Report
13th March

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It was Saturday afternoon and I was getting ready to travel down to my parents to go out for my Mums birthday. At about four thirty my phone rang and it was Dimity the local RSPCA Inspector. She told me there was a sighting of a porpoise stranded on the banks of the River Crouch at Battlesbridge and could I meet her there. Fine, I thought, Battlesbridge is on the way to my parents house so I’ll stop and check it out and then be at my Mums in time for the meal.

When we arrived we discovered that a member of the public had pushed it back into the river. The porpoise was now lying in about two feet of water. She was laying on very soft mud which made it extremely hazardous to get to her, we were also losing light as it was now about six o’ clock. So the local fire brigade came to our rescue by providing lights and an inflatable walkway that enabled us to get to the animal.

By now there were five members of the coastguard, three RSPCA Inspectors (two of whom are marine mammal medics) and about fifteen fire-fighters. The fire-fighters and coastguard did a great job of looking after the porpoise whilst myself and Rosie (RSPCA Inspector and medic) examined her. She was covered in small white lesions (which turned out to be scars from Whale lice), she was underweight and just generally in bad condition. I telephoned Paul Jepson (institute of Zoology) and James Barnett. After discussing her condition with them it was decided that the kindest thing to do would be to put her to sleep. Porpoises should not be underweight at this time of year as they need a thick blubber layer to see them through the winter and to prevent hypothermia.

It was a very sad and disappointing end to the night, but everyone involved was very professional and cared for her right until the end. I would like to say a huge thank you to Leigh on Sea Fire Brigade, Basildon Fire Brigade, the local Coastguard and the RSPCA for all their hard work. Oh, and I’d also like to say sorry to my Mum for missing her birthday meal (I got microwaved Indian for tea that night!).

Faye Archell
BDMLR Essex Co-ordinator

BDMLR/RSPCA Seal & Guillemot Release
15th March

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BDMLR arranged for 4 RIBS to release 13 seals back into the Wash in Norfolk on Sat 15th March 2003.

The seals were a mixture of Greys and Harbour seals and were from Scarborough and Hunstanton Sea Life Centres.
Kieran Copeland , BDMLR Anglia co-ordinator, also arranged for several Guillemots from the RSPCA centre at East Winch to be delivered onto the beach in boxes so they could be released out at sea.

As you can see from the picture this even made Mark Stevens smile !

Cheers,

Alan Knight
BDMLR Director

New Strandings Posters Available

We have just received new supplies of the Stranded Animals poster, telling people what to do if they find a stranded animal. If anyone would like copies to give to their Coastguard, RNLI station or anywhere else then please contact the office info@bdmlr.org.uk or phone 01825 765546 and state whether you want them for England or Scotland as the contact numbers are different.

Alan Knight
BDMLR Director

Exmouth BDMLR Meeting - Success !
28th March

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My thanks to the 15 of you who came along to the Exmouth Group meeting on Wednesday evening.

As you know, we now have 'social' and 'fund-raising' groups and I'm sure we all look forward to helping the group grow and develop. There are so many opportunities in the area.

I'm sure that soon we will have another get-together arranged.

Once again ..... many thanks.

Cheers,

Tony.

Exmouth BDMLR Rescue/Training Co-ordinator

BDMLR OnLine

SW Cornwall - Funding for Rescue Trailer Awarded
28th March

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Dear all,

I'm really pleased to be able to tell you the Tim Bain, from the South West, has managed to secure a £5 000 grant from PADI Project Aware to buy a rescue trailer for the SW (Cornwall area.) this is the second £5 000 grant we have had from PADI in 4 years and further shows PADI's commitment to marine wildlife and their well-being.

Well Done Tim (all you have to do is get it fitted out and towed around) and thank you very much PADI Project Aware and all it's supporters.

Mark Stevens
Director BDMLR