A stranded animal is a live marine animal that is out of its element due to an illness, injury, or other condition threatening its survival.
A. Stranded or not stranded?
1 . Generally, a stranded animal is any live marine animal that is out of its element, or outside of its survival envelope (Geraci and Lounsbury, 1993). Examples of stranded animals include a dolphin lying on the beach, a seal that is out of its range, or an icebound whale.
2. Healthy seals, sea lions, walruses, and otters naturally haul out onto land at times to rest, mate, pup, or molt (Geraci and Lounsbury, 1993). This behavior is not considered stranding. A healthy pup, which may appear stranded because it is thin, feeble, and crying plaintively, may have a mother nearby (Geraci and Lounsbury, 1993).
A stranded animal is a live marine animal that is out of its element due
to an illness, injury, or other condition threatening its survival.
B. Masking symptoms
A wild animal with an illness or injury generally will try to mask its symptoms for as long as possible to avoid predators.
C. When animals strand
In general, a marine animal may strand if it has a severe, debilitating illness or injury, or if it is too weak to hunt for food.
D. Use of the term stranded
1 .The term stranded is generally used to refer to marine mammals or sea turtles. Sea World also rescues a variety of ill and injured birds. Within this booklet, the term stranded refers to birds as well.
2. The correct use of the term beached is limited to dead animals that have washed up on shore (Geraci and Lounsbury, 1993).
E. Intervention or death
When birds, marine mammals, or sea turtles strand, death is usually imminent if there is no intervention.
Objectives of the
Rehabilitation Program |Various Reasons for
Stranding |Rescue, Diagnosis, and Treatment |Facilities and Equipment |Rehabilitated Animals |Results of the Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Program |Federal and State Regulations
|Benefits of the Rescue and
Rehabilitation Program |References and
Bibliography |Books for Young Readers
Return to SeaWorld Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Program Introduction
SeaWorld/Busch Gardens Animal Information Database
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