Dealing with entanglements of marine life is a huge part of the rescue work we do. Sometimes it feels like for every animal we are able to free, another handful of animals become entangled. The reality is, it's a never-ending cycle. At MMWRC we disentangle large cetaceans (whales), dolphins, whale sharks, sea turtles, manta rays, and sea lions. Whales and sea lions are the most frequently entangled and their rescues require a great deal of planning, resources, skills, and effort. MMWRC is part of both our national disentanglement network (RABEN) and international disentanglement networks (GWERN, IWC, NOAA) for the rescue of large whales. For sea lion disentanglement we partner with CONANP, PROFEPA, and CABO DOLPHINS for regular sea lion disentanglement campaigns throughout the Gulfo de California and the Pacific coast of Baja, and routinely disentangle animals on an as needed basis locally in La Paz and Los Cabos. Some entanglements are recent, but the majority are chronic meaning the animal wound up ensnared weeks to many months ago. Entanglements may lead to serious injury, infection, amputation, malnutrition, and eventual death.Entanglements are handled in the field, but smaller animals like sea lions and sea turtles with severe entanglement injuries will receive further treatment at our facility.

Marine wildlife may suffer from an array of diseases and illnesses. Exposure and development of these conditions can be attributed to colony exposure, old age, a weakened immune system due to malnutrition, injury, or fatigue, or contact with another animal. Some ailments may be linked to environmental changes; ingestion of fish/shellfish exposed to a toxic red tide, abrupt temperature changes, stress, and low food availability are some natural causes that have the potential to introduce disease. Ocean pollution, problems exacerbated by rising ocean temperatures, and encounters with fishing gear can also generate problems for marine animal health that can lead to serious illness.

A surprising number of the the marine wildlife we observe bear scars from some sort of vessel strike. Propellers from motorboats can lacerate and even dismember a marine mammal, and cut right through the carapace (shell) of a sea turtle. Boat collisions can result in blunt force trauma and cause disorientation in dolphins and whales, causing them to strand. Large cargo ships strikes are responsible for many whale deaths annually around the globe. Increased maritime traffic interferes with the natural behavior of animals, and the shipping lanes, recreational areas, and fishing zones overlap with critical animal habitats and migratory routes.

With increased maritime traffic (commercial and recreational), noise pollution, more marinas, ports, and seawalls being built, dredging, and natural tidal shifts in the sea floor within bays, animals can become easily disorientated and get themselves trapped or cornered, or stuck in shallow water or on a sand bar. These 'navigational errors' can also occur due to severe weather/oceanograhic events and worst of all, due to direct disturbance or harassment by humans.

Domoic acid toxicosis is a devastating effect of a neurotoxin that is ingested by marine mammals like sea lions and dolphins. The toxin which is produced by harmful algal blooms, sometimes called red tides, accumulates in the flesh of the prey fish that the marine mammals eat. It typically affects healthy animals that are in good body condition, so their sudden presence on the beach, and their noticeably 'strange' behaviour is our first clue to a possible DA outbreak. Associated signs of domoic acid toxicosis are tremors or seizures, stargazing (head up to the sky), rolling or bobbing of the head, listlessness, drool, and sudden aggressive or energetic outbursts. The DA toxin affects the brain and heart of the animal and causes frequent seizures, heart failure, brain damage, and very often, death. The more of the toxin the animal has ingested the more serious the toxicois is and the less likely they will recover. If caught early, and in younger animals, there is some potential to flush the toxin. DA toxicosis is considered a ‘natural’ cause of strandings, though some may argue that with rising ocean temps the incidence of these dangerous algal blooms is increasing in freqnecy and severity and we might need to accept some responsibility for that.

One of the most difficult strandings to witness is a whale or dolphin that has beached itself and is struggling on dry land. Most of the time the reason for the stranding will remain a mystery, but in some cases we are able to determine the cause. It's especially tempting to try and help, but please report these cases right away. Sometimes the public are helpful in getting a small dolphin back in the water, but be advised that their powerful tails can cause serious injury to inexperienced rescuers and you may cause significant injuries to the dolphin in your attempts to help. The likelihood that the animal will wash right back up on the shore again is high because there is a reason the animal beached in the first place. On rare occasions it is a dolphin that accidentally stranded while feeding near shore. Large whales can not be dragged back in to the water but should be reported right away.

Injuries to marine wildlife can be the result of accidental falls, bites from other animals (including off-leash dogs), being crushed during mating season, recreational vehicle or boat strikes, entanglements or interactions with fishing hooks, lures, or any marine debris, or worst of all, intentional harm caused by humans with weapons like gaff hooks, machetes, and even guns.

Malnutrition is a common reason for stranding in young animals who were prematurely separated or abandoned by their mother. It can also be the result of underlying disease or a debilitating injury in an animal of any age. Declining fish stocks and changing atmospheric conditions that affect abundance and distribution of plankton, invertebrates, and fish also contribute to malnutrition, seen across many species.

Often affecting animals that are old, weakened by disease, illness, or infection, or have been chronically entangled, a heavy parasite burden is an indication of poor health and a sign of an underlying problem. When present externally, the parasites can also hinder or impair the animals movement or vision when their abundance is extreme. Sea turtles in particular are often rescued in this condition and we conduct diagnostic testing to determine the cause for their susceptibility to parasites. In these cases we may able to resolve the health issue and reintroduce the animal to the wild free of the parasite burden. With large whales, there is no way for us to definitively diagnose or treat an underlying condition in a living animal, but we are able to learn more on necropsy of deceased whales. It's not uncommon to see chronically entangled whales covered in an unhealthy amount of parasites.

Seals, sea lions, dolphins, sea turtles, and rays are prey for large predators like sharks and orcas. Juvenile, and even adult whales, also fall victim to Orcas (killer whales). We consider marine mammals and sea turtles as both predator and prey, and understand that they will always fall somewhere in that circle of life. We never interfere with a natural predation event but if the the prey animal ends up stranding and we can gain access to respond, we will assist the animal on a case by case basis. Most times the wounds inflicted are too severe to effectively administer any care.

Sadly, some of these species also need to worry about predation (poaching) by humans despite being protected to varying degrees by law. On some occasions we have been able to intercept and treat these animals after they have been harmed in the process of being illegally poached. If you see suspicious behaviour please report this to authorities but for your safety keep your distance and do not confront poachers.

A mass stranding event is when a number of the same species, or multiple species, strand in the same area at the same time (within hourss or a few days of one another). Mass stranding events can result in the death of up to hundreds of animals at virtually the same time. Mass whale strandings are often due to undeterminded causes, though there are many standing theories about possible causes. With smaller marine mammals like dolphins and pinnipeds (seals and sea lions) mass strandings may be the result of a toxin (like Domoic Acid) or pollutant in the water. It is important for us to attend and assess these events so that we can gather vital data and alert our neighboring states and countries to potential risks to their marine wildlife.