GARSCON 2023: Abstracts

0900-0915 Welcome to Science Talk Day
0915-1015 Keynote Speaker: John Ososky
1015-1045 NOAA Kate Sampson & Ainsley Smith
1045-1100 BREAK
1100-1115 Expanding Public Outreach and Education by Highlighting Unique “Seal-ebrity” Patients and Showcasing their Success Stories.
1115-1130 Investigating Success of Stranded Marine Mammal Surveillance by the Public, Trained Response Staff, and Unoccupied Aerial Surveys.
1130-1145 Multi-Organization Internship Collaboration to Increase Program Field Response, Outreach, and Research Capacity.
1145-1200 Investigating the Potential Impacts of Offshore Wind on Marine Mammals & Sea Turtles in Coastal New England.
1200-1330 LUNCH
1330-1340 Emerging Trends in Gray Seal Populations in Delaware.
1340-1355 Rehabilitation trends of pinnipeds in the Mid-Atlantic, 1991-2023.
1355-1400 What’s the Score? Using a Matrix to Evaluate Potential Rehabilitation Patients.
1400-1415 A Closer Look at HPAI In Marine Mammals to Assess Contributing Factors for Viral Spillover.
1415-1425 Impact of Environmental Contaminants on Disease Susceptibility in a Coastal Gray Seal Population.
1425-1440 Stranded animals are wild: Collaborative science to understand the health and ecology of pinniped populations in the Northwest Atlantic
1440-1455 A chronic problem: A 20-year summary of confirmed pinniped entanglement cases on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA.
1455-1510 Seal Codex—AI for Conservation
1510-1530 BREAK
1530-1545 Case Study: Mycobacteria chelonae in a Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii).
1545-1555 Treatment for Cervical Myositis in a Cold-Stunned Kemps Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii).
1555-1600 Changes in Corticosterone Levels of New York’s Cold Stunned Sea Turtles from Intake to Release.
1600-1610 Medical and Surgical Management of a Linear Foreign Body in a Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii).
1610-1620 Immediate Release Criteria - Identifying and Releaseing Otherwise Healthy Hooked Sea Turtles.

1620-1630 Tracking Post-Release Movement Patterns of New York’s Rehabilitated Sea Turtles and Their Utilization of Different Marine Habitats
1630-1645 Applications of Delphinid Vitreous Humor Biochemical Analysis for Stranding Response Organizations.
1645-1700 Development of an Innovative Cetacean Intensive Care Unit on Cape Cod, MA.

1700-1715 Virginia Bottlenose Dolphin Causes of Stranding and/or Death, 2015-2022.
1715-1725 Measuring progesterone levels in a female humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) baleen.
1725-1730 Closing Remarks - GARSCON Planning Committee

Science Talk Day - Detailed Schedule

presentations

Investigating

Investigating the Potential Impacts of Offshore Wind on Marine Mammals & Sea Turtles in Coastal New England

Francesca Battaglia, Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, CT
Ebru Unal, Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, CT
Susan Smith, Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, CT
Danielle Lavoie, Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, CT
Laura Thompson, Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, CT
Sarah Callan, Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, CT
Allison D. Tuttle, Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, CT
Eric Anderson, Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, CT
Robert A. DiGiovanni, Jr., Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Hampton Bays, NY
Tracy Romano, Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, CT

Offshore wind development is expanding in New England, including in Mystic Aquarium’s stranding response coverage area off the coasts of Connecticut and Rhode Island. To gain a better understanding of the potential impacts of offshore wind farms on marine mammals and sea turtles, Mystic Aquarium will be contributing important information and developing technologies to monitor health and physiology, detection and presence, and movements and diving patterns of marine mammal and sea turtle species before, during, and after construction and operation of wind farms. Non-invasive technologies to monitor hormones, immune function, physiology, and health will continue to be validated and developed for application to wild marine mammals. Prevalence and cause of marine mammal and sea turtle strandings in Mystic Aquarium’s coverage area, along the coasts of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Fisher’s Island, NY, will be determined. The movement and behavior of seals and sea turtles will be monitored via satellite tagging of rehabilitated and released animals from Mystic Aquarium in collaboration with Atlantic Marine Conservation Society. This multifaceted approach will provide objective data on the potential impacts of offshore wind farms. Results obtained will inform mitigation strategies and improve monitoring efforts as renewable energy is developed in New England.

Investigating Success of Stranded Marine Mammal Surveillance by the Public, Trained Response Staff, and Unoccupied Aerial Surveys

Jennifer C.G. Bloodgood, Cornell Wildlife Health Lab, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, New York
Mackenzie L. Russell, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, Alabama
C. Díaz Clark, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, Alabama
Mary Ponti, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, Alabama
R.H. Carmichael, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, Alabama

Stranded marine mammals provide valuable information on causes of mortality and threats to free-ranging populations, however, the success of carcass detection by the public and trained responders is not well known. To better understand carcass detection rates (CDR), we placed a known number of decoy carcasses (n=12) simulating naturally occurring, deceased bottlenose dolphins around Dauphin Island, Alabama, for one week during February 2023. Each decoy was labelled with an identification code and phone number. Three carcasses were placed in each of four regions representing different habitat types (marsh or beach) and human use (low or high boat/foot traffic). Calls from the public were recorded, and trained stranding responders actively searched for the decoys via drone/visual observation and either boat/kayak or UTV/foot. We received 16 calls from the public; most (75%) were from a high traffic beach site, and there were no reports from a low traffic marsh site. The CDR for the public across all habitat types was 50%, while the CDR for trained responders was 83%. Trained responders found fewer decoys using drone/visual observation (n=8) than other methods (n=9), however the decoys found were different. Preliminary results highlight the importance of trained observers in carcass detection and suggest that drones can aid search efforts. Future work will evaluate CDR across additional seasons and further examine the effects of habitat type, weather, search method, and extent of training. Resulting data will help address critical challenges to stranded marine mammal response and documentation in any coastal region with mixed use.

Multi-Organization Internship Collaboration to Increase Program Field Response, Outreach, and Research Capacity

Sarah E. Callan, Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, Connecticut
Valerie Preler, Block Island Maritime Institute, New Shoreham, Rhode Island
Jon Dodd, Atlantic Shark Institute, Wakefield, Rhode Island
Eric Anderson, Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, Connecticut
Allison D. Tuttle, Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, Connecticut

Mystic Aquarium responds to marine mammal reports and strandings across 1,022 miles of shoreline in CT, RI, and Fisher’s Island, NY. Over the past five years the seal population on Block Island, RI has continued to rapidly increase. While logistics for island responses pose many challenges alone, seal population dynamics combined with a rise in tourism have heightened the need for stranding program presence on island, particularly regarding human interaction cases. In addition, program opportunities to conduct critical research and data collection on local seal species with a changing dynamic have been limited due to minimal resources. To increase program capacity for these needs, an innovative approach was taken to create a multifaceted, multi-organization approach utilizing collaborative research, internship opportunities and advanced training. Mystic Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Program is building upon a long-standing relationship with Block Island Maritime Institute to create an internship position that is beneficial to both organizations and expands the capacity across many facets of the field where resources are challenging. Likewise, building relationships with regional researchers at the Atlantic Shark Institute, RI DEM, and other entities is providing new opportunities for population studies and unique views into predator-prey interactions. Finally, these relationships and programs are providing new opportunities for outreach and training to have a greater response and impact on seal populations on Block Island. As a pilot season, the Animal Rescue Program is looking forward to using lessons learned to continue to grow and improve these new relationships to increase program capacity for years to come.

Expanding Public Outreach and Education by Highlighting Unique “Seal-ebrity” Patients and Showcasing their Success Stories

Alexandra V. Cojocaru, Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, CT
Sarah E. Callan, Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, CT
Allison D. Tuttle, Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, CT

For over the past 45 years, Mystic Aquarium’s Animal Rescue Program has been responding to marine mammal strandings on over 1,000 miles of shoreline in CT, RI, and Fishers Island, NY. Since 2016, the program has admitted over 300 seals for rehabilitation. High-profile or unique success story cases capture the public’s attention and can be leveraged to broaden our audience, leading to a greater impact on public awareness of our program’s key messaging and efforts. Last year, an adult male gray seal, Shoebert, stranded in an industrial pond in Massachusetts. Shoebert’s case helped foster relationships between various stranding and municipal entities and increased community support by locally disseminated messaging of seal behavior, human interaction issues, and conservation. Recently, Northlands, a juvenile gray seal that stranded in Bermuda, sparked an international virtual outreach effort over two countries; his release reached over 2.5 million live viewers, allowing for an increasingly broad distribution of our program’s messaging. Highlighting these seal-ebrity cases has provided greater opportunities to engage and educate the public to promote conservation and awareness of marine mammals.

Expanding/Multi

What's/Virginia

What’s the Score? Using a Matrix to Evaluate Potential Rehabilitation Patients

Jennifer Dittmar, National Aquarium, Baltimore, Maryland
Kate Shaffer, National Aquarium, Baltimore, Maryland
Margot Madden, National Aquarium, Baltimore, Maryland
Caitlin Bovery, National Aquarium, Baltimore, Maryland

Organizations that are permitted for marine mammal and sea turtle stranding response and rehabilitation activities often encounter situations where a stranded animal needs to be evaluated for rehabilitation. How these cases are evaluated, and the process by which they are cleared for admittance to rehabilitation can vary. Variables may include, but are not limited to, species, size, age class, injuries or illness, staffing, availability of rehab space, and transport options. As a result of challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, staff with the Animal Rescue and Animal Health teams at the National Aquarium collaborated to develop formal matrices to score potential seal and sea turtle rehabilitation cases. The original version of the matrices in 2020 included sections relating to real-time COVID-19 restrictions, staffing, known information regarding the animal being considered for rehabilitation, and cumulative patient caseload at the aquarium. As a conservation organization that has resident animals in our living exhibits, as well as wildlife in rehabilitation, staff with Animal Rescue and Animal Health must follow established quarantine procedures to reduce the risk of cross-contamination between residents and wildlife. The matrices became a foundation for internal discussions between staff from both departments. Feedback from both teams determined that the matrices were valuable in directing discussions and conversations about pending rehabilitation cases, without causing additional burden to workflow. Following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, the matrices were modified to meet current needs, and are regularly utilized, reviewed, and updated as needed.

Virginia Bottlenose Dolphin Causes of Stranding and/or Death, 2015-2022

Alexandra Epple, Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, Stranding Response Program, Virginia Beach, VA
Alexander Costidis, Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, Stranding Response Program, Virginia Beach, VA
Abigail Steele, Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, Stranding Response Program, Virginia Beach, VA; Current Affiliation: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Port Charlotte, FL

All bottlenose dolphins that stranded in Virginia from 2015 to 2022 (n=578) were assigned a preliminary proximate cause of stranding and/or death (COSD) based on the identification of gross significant findings. COSD were separated into three main categories: 1) natural, 2) anthropogenic, and 3) could not be determined (CBD). If applicable, a more specific cause was assigned (e.g. infectious, perinatal, acute trauma, chronic entanglement, etc.). Almost half of the stranded dolphins (n=273, 47%) did not receive thorough enough examinations (e.g. due to decomposition and/or logistics, frozen, etc.) to determine COSD (assigned COSD was CBD-Not Examined). An additional almost quarter of the animals (n=137, 24%) received an examination, but the cause of death could not be determined (i.e. confounding findings, no significant findings, too decomposed). Of those for which a cause of death was determined (n=168, 29%), slightly more were natural (n=89) than anthropogenic (n=79) in nature. The most common natural cause of stranding was infectious (n=47, 53%), while the most common anthropogenic cause of stranding was acute entanglement (n=71, 90%). COSD was determined in all fresh dead animals (n=14), while in cases of advanced decomposition (n=65), the vast majority could not be determined and the only assigned COSD was acute entanglement (n=4). Consistent identification of COSD has important implications for monitoring population health and species management (e.g. identifying fisheries mortalities). In addition, its analysis can also help guide stranding response organizations to better utilize available resources.

“Ready for Your Close Up?” A Geo-spatial Study of Delaware’s Bottlenose Dolphin Population Using Flukebook to Establish Photo Identification

Zeal Goolesby, Marine Education, Research & Rehabilitation Institute, Lewes, Delaware
Suzanne Thurman, Marine Education, Research & Rehabilitation Institute, Lewes, Delaware

Due to declining cetacean populations, creating new methods to identify and track individuals has become an important data tool. Collecting data on individuals dolphins, such as age, gender, and location allows researchers to improve their knowledge of entire species. FlukeBook, a new resource in the marine mammal conservation community, is the method MERR uses to identify and track individual dolphins. Flukebook is an Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) program which utilizes A.I. algorithms to scan photos of dorsal fins and flukes for distinguishing features, such as notches, scars, epibionts, trailing edge, contrasting color, and more. MERR started using this program in the Summer 2022 to track the local population of various dolphin species, with special focus on the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), the most common dolphin species in coastal Delaware. The study is being conducted by MERR staff and interns aboard a local tour boat, which provides access to the Harbor of Refuge at the mouth of the Delaware Bay, an area known for historically abundant bottlenose dolphin populations. Dorsal fin photos are obtained and cataloged using FlukeBook to determine population and geo-spatial information. This program proves beneficial to track individuals within populations and alert us to changes in species trends.

Case Study: Mycobacteria chelonae in a Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii)

Linda Lory, New England Aquarium, Rescue and Rehabilitation, Quincy, MA 02169
Adam Kennedy, New England Aquarium, Rescue and Rehabilitation, Quincy, MA
Sarah Perez, New England Aquarium, Rescue and Rehabilitation, Quincy, MA
Sarah DiCarlo, New England Aquarium, Rescue and Rehabilitation, Quincy, MA
Alessia Brugnara, New England Aquarium, Rescue and Rehabilitation, Quincy, MA
Kristen Luise, New England Aquarium, Rescue and Rehabilitation, Quincy, MA
Charles Innis, New England Aquarium, Animal Health Department, Boston, MA
Melissa Joblon, New England Aquarium, Animal Health Department, Boston, MA
Kathryn Tuxbury, New England Aquarium, Animal Health Department, Boston, MA

A juvenile Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) stranded cold-stunned on December 14, 2022, in Dennis, MA. The turtle was admitted to Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary and transported to the National Marine Life Center in Buzzard’s Bay, MA for continued rehabilitation. Due to the critical nature of the case, the turtle was transferred to the New England Aquarium’s Rescue and Rehabilitation department on January 5, 2023. The turtle was admitted anorexic, with a prominent carapace deformity and multifocal erosive lesions on all four flippers. Due to the extensive flipper lesions and anorexia, the turtle was placed on empirical antibiotics, fluid therapy, systemic supplements and tube feedings. On January 26, lameness of both front flippers was observed, and subsequent swelling of the left stifle and both carpal joints were appreciated. A fine needle aspirate of the left stifle confirmed presence of Acid-fast positive bacilli, and subsequent culture confirmed Mycobacteria chelonae. Additional diagnostics were performed to confirm or rule out other pathologies. An aggressive multimodal therapy was initiated in light of the Mycobacterial polyarthritis diagnosis. On April 20, 2023, the turtle underwent surgical debridement of the left carpus and left stifle joints, samples were submitted for histological evaluation. After a brief recovery, a second surgical debridement was performed on the right carpus. Histological results of the samples obtained from the surgeries were consistent with previous findings of mycobacteriosis. Currently, this turtle is undergoing continued care and the prognosis remains guarded.

Ready/Case

Rehabilitation trends of pinnipeds in the Mid-Atlantic,
1991-2023

Margot Madden, National Aquarium, Baltimore, Maryland
Jennifer Dittmar, National Aquarium, Baltimore, Maryland
Kate Shaffer, National Aquarium, Baltimore, Maryland
Caitlin Bovery, National Aquarium, Baltimore, Maryland
Suzanne Thurman, Marine Education, Research & Rehabilitation Institute, Lewes, Delaware

In 1991, the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, signed their first Marine Mammal Standing Response Agreement with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) permitting long-term pinniped rehabilitation. From 1991 to 2023, a total of 130 pinnipeds were deemed candidates for long-term rehabilitation. Over the course of three decades, a species demographic shift has been observed, leading to medical advancements and husbandry modifications needed for those undergoing long-term rehabilitation. During the 1990’s, harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) were the primary pinniped species observed in the mid-Atlantic, while grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) were a rarity. During the 2000’s, grey seals have been the dominate pinniped species seen along the Delaware and Maryland coastline. From 1991 to 2023, harbor seal rehabilitation admissions have declined by 69%, while grey seal admissions have grown by 567%. A seasonal maturing grey seal population off Cape Henlopen, Delaware, has been thought to be the primary driving force behind the species demographic shift. With the Delaware colony population having matured, younger animals have been frequently seen during the most recent decade in long-term rehabilitation with aliments that were not historically seen previously other than the New England and the Tri-State territories; aliments include abandoned maternally dependent pups, otitis media and parasitic burdens such as Otostrongylus circumlitus and Parafilaroides gymnurus. The first maternally dependent grey seal pup was admitted into long-term rehabilitation in 2020.

Impact of Environmental Contaminants on Disease Susceptibility in a Coastal Gray Seal Population

Christina McCosker, PhD Candidate, University of Maine, School of Marine Sciences, Orono, Maine
Milton Levin, Associate Research Professor, University of Connecticut, Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science, Storrs, Connecticut
Wendy B. Puryear, Senior Research Associate, Tufts University, Cummings School of
Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, Massachusetts
Jonathan A. Runstadler, Professor, Tufts University, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, Massachusetts
Kristina M. Cammen, Associate Professor, University of Maine, School of Marine Sciences, Orono, Maine

Over the past few decades, an increase in the number of reported disease outbreaks has been associated with a general decline in the health of coastal ecosystems. Environmental contaminants may increase disease susceptibility in marine mammals through impacts on immune functions, particularly in upper trophic level species. Across the North Atlantic Ocean, influenza A virus (IAV) is responsible for episodic large-scale mortality events in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) that are thought to be the result of spillover from infected gray seals (Halichoerus grypus), a proposed wild disease reservoir. Evidence suggests that persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), play a role in harbor seal immunosuppression, thus increasing susceptibility to IAV infection; however, there is limited information available on the persistence and impacts of PCBs in gray seals. We leveraged samples from an existing research program to quantify PCBs and measure cytokines in wild-capture gray seal pups from Massachusetts. PCBs were measured in 128 pups, with ΣPCBs ranging from 0 (in 48 pups) to 564.5 ng/g wet weight. We are currently investigating the relationship between PCB exposure, IAV infection, and cytokine concentrations in a subset of 88 pups. This research will also establish baseline blood PCB concentrations and cytokine reference intervals, tools that may be of value to marine mammal stranding responders when deciding if a stranded animal requires intervention. Overall, this research will advance scientific knowledge regarding the impacts of POPs on disease prevalence and immune response in a coastal marine mammal species.

Rehab/Impact

Changes in Corticosterone Levels of New York’s Cold Stunned Sea Turtles from Intake to Release

Wendy McFarlane, Professor, Division of Natural Sciences, Mathematics & Computing, Manhattanville College, Purchase, NY, wendy.mcfarlane@mville.edu
Maxine Montello, Rescue Program Director, New York Marine Rescue Center, Riverhead, NY, mmontello@nymarinerescue.org

Sea turtles strand on Long Island, New York beaches in the late fall and winter due to cold stunning, a process akin to hypothermia. Life stages and species most prone to cold stun are juvenile Kemp’s ridleys, juvenile Atlantic greens, and subadult loggerheads. In response to prolonged stressful events, sea turtles produce the hormone corticosterone, which circulates in the bloodstream and contributes to mobilization of energy reserves. Exposure to cold conditions triggers corticosterone production, thus making it an important component of the cold stunning response. This study documented the change in circulating corticosteroids that cold-stunned sea turtles experience following rescue and rehabilitation and aimed to correlate corticosterone levels to successful rehabilitation and release. Over a 3-year period (2020-2023), blood plasma samples were obtained by a senior staff member from NYMRC for all live stranded sea turtles. Samples were taken at the intake physical (day 1), after the animal was warmed to optimal body temperature (day 5 approximately 24˚C), and shortly before the individual’s release following rehabilitation. Animals that died during rehabilitation were sampled post-mortem. Plasma samples were processed at Manhattanville College with a Corticosterone ELISA kit (Enzo Scientific) optimized for vertebrate animals. Corticosterone trends prior to, during, and following rehabilitation will be discussed, and their implications for the rehabilitative process explored. This data will allow us to further understand the physiology of cold stunning and supports broader conservation efforts of sea turtles along the northeastern US coastline.

'Emerging Seal Trends in Delaware' : Gray Seal Colony and Pupping Data

Jessica Meyer-Author, Marine Education, Research & Rehabilitation Institute, Lewes, Delaware
Suzanne Thurman, Marine Education, Research & Rehabilitation Institute, Lewes, Delaware

Dating back to as early as the 1800s, seals have been reported off the coast of Delaware during winter months, having traveled south from New England colonies. Over the last decade, the MERR Institute has been monitoring an emerging grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) colony off the coast of Lewes, and has discovered a rise in pupping activity in this location. The correlation between changes in the resident seal colony and environmental shifts, as well as increased boat and tourist traffic, is under investigation. Through observatory boat surveys, MERR staff and volunteers are examining seal population numbers, species, behavior, age, location, and weather and environmental patterns. These surveys allow for investigation into important trend changes over time, and track how the colony is affected by changes in the surrounding environment. This poster will illustrate population survey data and colony composition.

Changes/Emerging

Stranded animals are wild: Collaborative science to understand the health and ecology of pinniped populations in the Northwest Atlantic

Kimberly Murray, NOAA Fisheries, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, MA
Andrea Bogomolni, Northwest Atlantic Seal Research Consortium
Robert DiGiovanni Jr., Atlantic Marine Conservation Society; Hampton Bays, NY
Monica DeAngelis, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport, RI
Lynda Doughty, Marine Mammals of Maine; Brunswick, ME
Wendy Puryear, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts Univ; North Grafton, MA
Kat Rose, International Fund for Animal Welfare; Yarmouth, MA
Jon Runstadler, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts Univ; North Grafton, MA
Lisa Sette, Center for Coastal Studies; Provincetown, MA
Brian Sharp, International Fund for Animal Welfare; Yarmouth, MA
Sarah Sharp, International Fund for Animal Welfare; Yarmouth, MA

The aim of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s Seal Ecology and Assessment Program is to provide scientific information to managers and stakeholders on the role of seals as important sentinels of the marine ecosystem, to support conservation efforts to maintain a healthy and optimally stable population of seals in the northeast, and to provide recommendations on mitigation measures to minimize conflicts between seals and humans. Stranding network members are an integral part of the research conducted by the NEFSC and many collaborate as co-Principal-Investigators under the NEFSC’s MMPA research permit. Key components of the Seal Program at the NEFSC include investigating health and disease of pinniped stocks in the Northwest Atlantic, studying movements, behavior and habitat use of individuals, and quantifying mortality and serious injuries from interactions with commercial fisheries, including bycatch. This presentation will highlight some of the collaborative research between stranding network partners and the NEFSC in regards to these 3 research themes, and emphasize that the study of “stranded” animals provides insight to the health and recovery of the larger wild population.

A chronic problem: A 20-year summary of confirmed pinniped entanglement cases on Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Misty E. Niemeyer, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Yarmouth Port, MA, USA
Olivia C. Guerra, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Yarmouth Port, MA, USA
Kira Kasper, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Yarmouth Port, MA, USA
Kristen M. Volker, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Yarmouth Port, MA, USA
Lauren A. Cooley, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Yarmouth Port, MA, USA
Sarah M. Sharp, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Yarmouth Port, MA, USA
Nicole E. Hunter, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Yarmouth Port, MA, USA
Kathryn S. Rose, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Yarmouth Port, MA, USA
Michael J. Moore, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA USA and International Fund for Animal Welfare, Yarmouth Port, MA, USA
Jane M. Hoppe, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Yarmouth Port, MA, USA
Kristen M. Patchett, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Yarmouth Port, MA, USA
W. Brian Sharp, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Yarmouth Port, MA, USA

Entanglements and their associated injuries are one of the leading anthropogenic causes of stranding and death for pinnipeds on Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts. Over the past 20 years (1999-2018), 156 confirmed cases of entangled pinnipeds have been responded to in this region. Of the 111 cases that had gear present, the majority (n=80) involved neck entanglement in monofilament netting. This type of entanglement is consistent with active gillnet fisheries due to entanglement configuration, prevalence of year-round fisheries and lack of gear fouling. Other entangling material included fishing weirs (n=4), trap/pot gear (n=7), trawl netting (n=2), other fisheries gear (n=5), marine debris (n=7), and uncategorized (n=4). The majority of these cases were gray seals (n=129), but harbor and harp seals were also affected. Out of the 76 live cases, 63% (n=48) were successfully disentangled and either transferred to a rehabilitation facility or treated and released. Due to the extent of the entanglement-related injuries, 5 seals died and 3 were humanely euthanized. Over half the cases were reported dead (n=83), including 43 with gear present. Necropsies were conducted whenever logistics and carcass decomposition permitted (n=47). Significant necropsy findings in cases with chronic circumferential constricting monofilament net entanglements around the neck included severe lacerations, embedded line, sepsis, and poor body condition. The severity of these injuries highlights the serious animal welfare concern that entanglements represent for pinnipeds. Future work should focus on the need to further understand where and how these entanglements occur in an effort to prevent them through mitigation measures.

Stranded/Chronic

Medical and Surgical Management of a Linear Foreign Body in a Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii)

Sarah Perez, New England Aquarium, Rescue and Rehabilitation, Quincy, MA
Adam Kennedy, New England Aquarium, Rescue and Rehabilitation, Quincy, MA
Linda Lory, New England Aquarium, Rescue and Rehabilitation, Quincy, MASarah DiCarlo, New England Aquarium, Rescue and Rehabilitation, Quincy, MA
Alessia Brugnara, New England Aquarium, Rescue and Rehabilitation, Quincy, MA
Kristen Luise, New England Aquarium, Rescue and Rehabilitation, Quincy, MA
Charles Innis, New England Aquarium, Animal Health Department, Boston, MA
Melissa Joblon, New England Aquarium, Animal Health Department, Boston, MA
Kathryn Tuxbury, New England Aquarium, Animal Health Department, Boston, MA

A male juvenile Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) sea turtle stranded cold-stunned on November 30th, 2021 on Ellis Beach in Brewster, Massachusetts. Upon intake at the New England Aquarium Quincy Animal Care Center, 21-0300-Lk (Star Anise) presented with ribbon approximately 41 cm in length protruding from his oral cavity and 122 cm of ribbon and balloon protruding from the cloaca. During the initial intake exam, the ribbon and balloon were removed by cutting only the exposed section. The turtle was stabilized, placed on antibiotics, and iron dextran for anemia. On December 8th, 2021, the turtle underwent an exploratory coeliotomy for removal of the remaining ribbon. Approximately 72 cm of ribbon was surgically excised from the intestines. The foreign body recovered from Star Anise was 236 cm (about 7.74 ft) long. After 147 days in rehabilitation Star Anise was released on April 25, 2022, in North Carolina.

Utilizing volunteers to support response efforts of sea turtles and marine mammals while enhancing community outreach in New York.

Ryanne Murray, Education Coordinator, New York Marine Rescue Center, Riverhead, NY, rmurrary@nymarinerescue.org
Madeline Oerth, Biologist II, New York Marine Rescue Center, Riverhead, NY, moerth@nymarinerescue.org
Kristina Hansen, Rescue Program Supervisor, New York Marine Rescue Center, Riverhead, NY, khansen@nymarinerescue.org
Maxine Montello, Rescue Program Director, New York Marine Rescue Center, Riverhead, NY mmontello@nymarinerescue.org

The aim of this project was to attract and train an integrated team of volunteers that would implement an efficient response and education program for New York sea turtles and marine mammals. The New York Marine Rescue Center (NYMRC) strives to decrease on-site response time, as well as increase the survival rate of patients through the creation of a widespread and rapid monitoring and education program for all sea turtle and seal patients. Long Island is among the most densely populated regions of New York State accounting for approximately 40% of the population. Due to this vast population, there is a large overlap between marine animals and human population leading to an increase in human interaction (HI). Through our citizen science programs, NYMRC has utilized volunteers to enhance our response efforts for sea turtles and seals, as well as increase overall community outreach.

In 2017, NYMRC launched its Citizen Science Cold Stun patrolling team which has tripled in size since inception. Members of the public are trained by NYMRC to monitor beaches and find cold-stunned sea turtles. This program has helped save critical sea turtles over the last 6 years as well as increased public awareness of sea turtles. In 2020, NYMRC launched the Seal Patrol Team where the main goal is to educate the public about seals, assess the animal's condition and behavior, and reduce incidents of human interaction. Both programs have improved our response effort and increased the success rate for stranded sea turtles and seals.

Medical/Utilizing

A Closer Look at HPAI In Marine Mammals to Assess Contributing Factors for Viral Spillover

Wendy Puryear, Cummings School of Vet Medicine at Tufts Univ; North Grafton, MA
Kaitlin Sawatzki, Cummings School of Vet Medicine at Tufts Univ; North Grafton, MA
Alexa Foss, Cummings School of Vet Medicine at Tufts Univ; North Grafton, MA
Nichola Hill, University of Massachusetts Boston; Boston, MA
Lynda Doughty, Marine Mammals of Maine; Brunswick, ME
Dominique Walk, Marine Mammals of Maine; Brunswick, ME
Katie Gilbert, Marine Mammals of Maine; Brunswick, ME
Rosemary Seton, College of the Atlantic; Bar Harbor, ME
Ashley Stokes, Seacoast Science Center, Rye, NH
Lisa Becker, National Marine Life Center, Bourne, MA
Nicole Hunter, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Yarmouth Port, MA
Margot Madden, National Aquarium, Baltimore, MD
Allison Tuttle, Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, CT
Stephen St. Pierre, Marine Mammal Alliance Nantucket, Nantucket, MA
Milton Levin, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Belinda Rubinstein, Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA
Kimberly Murray, NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center; Woods Hole, MA
Robert A. DiGiovanni Jr., Atlantic Marine Conservation Society; Hampton Bays, NY
Ainsley Smith, NOAA Protected Res Div, Ntl Marine Fisheries Service; Gloucester, MA
Meredith Moise, Integrated Statistics for NOAA Fisheries, Gloucester, MA
Maureen Murray, Tufts Wildlife Clinic, Cummings School Vet Med; North Grafton, MA
Elena Cox, Tufts Wildlife Clinic, Cummings School Vet Med Tufts; North Grafton, MA
Priya Patel, New England Wildlife Centers; Barnstable, MA
Stephanie Ellis, Wild Care, Inc.; Eastham, MA
Yvonne Vaillancourt, UMass Boston, Nantucket Field Station, Nantucket, MA
Jonathan Runstadler, Cummings School of Vet Medicine at Tufts; North Grafton, MA

Diverse subtypes of influenza virus circulate globally within wild birds, primarily waterfowl and seabirds. Influenza has also been documented in marine mammals for over 50 years, being linked to both unusual mortality events and asymptomatic or mild infection. Historically, the majority of influenza in pinnipeds has occurred in the Northwest Atlantic and has been observed primarily in harbor seals and to a lesser extent in grey seals. In the summer of 2022, High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) entered North America via seabirds and spilled into pinnipeds in Maine and the St. Lawrence Estuary, again impacting primarily harbor seals and to a lesser extent grey seals. To date, all instances of influenza within marine mammals, regardless of severity, have traced back to waterfowl and seabirds. However, the factors that influence when, where, and how influenza crosses the species barrier from wild birds to marine mammals is not well understood.

Analysis of viral sequences obtained from both seals and wild birds helps to define how interspecies transmission may occur. Transmission dynamics can also be better understood through an analysis of temporal and spatial overlap of sympatric species, coupled with knowledge of known avian hosts for influenza and the dynamics of viral shedding. Here we perform a regional analysis of viral sequence, spatiotemporal overlap of species, and seroprevalence in pinnipeds, to define key factors that may impact spillover of influenza into marine mammals. Insights gained here may help to predict where novel spillover events may occur.

Analysis of Internal Marine Debris in the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network Database

Nathan Hammerschmitt Le Gal, NOAA Fisheries Intern, Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical High School, Danvers, MA
Ellen Keane, NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, Protected ResourAnalysis of Internal Marine Debris in the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network Databaseces Division, Gloucester, MA
Kate Sampson, NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, Protected Resources Division, Gloucester, MA
Carrie Upite, NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, Protected Resources Division, Gloucester, MA

The Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN) seeks to conserve and recover Endangered Species Act listed sea turtles. In accordance with plans developed jointly by NOAA Fisheries and US Fish and Wildlife Service, the STSSN has collected data on sea turtle strandings since 1980. This analysis was conducted to further our understanding of past, present, and potentially growing anthropogenic threats to sea turtle recovery from Maine through Virginia. We examined strandings data by year, species, and strand type from 1998-2021. While traditional strandings have remained relatively consistent over the time series, strandings of cold stuns, particularly green and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, have increased since 2008 with greater increases occurring more recently. We reviewed necropsy reports to conduct a more detailed analysis of internal marine debris—evaluating potential relationships between species and debris type—on non-cold stun strandings from 2012 to 2022. Thin and uncolored plastics were found to be particularly prevalent in leatherback sea turtles. Balloons and soft plastics were more abundant in greens. Thin plastics and balloons accounted for 66% of cases where the necropsy indicated that this debris potentially contributed to the stranding. While trends over time were observed (e.g., an increase in annual debris cases), variations in the number of animals necropsied and differences in data entry limit the reliability of these trends. For future work, a new analysis with additional data from the STSSN could investigate unspecified debris cases and be expanded to include cold stuns and incidental captures.

Closer/Analysis

Pinniped Triage on Maryland’s Atlantic Coast

Kate Shaffer, Stranding Response & Triage Manager, National Aquarium, Animal Rescue, Ocean City, MD
Jennifer Dittmar, Director of Animal Rescue, National Aquarium, Animal Rescue, Baltimore, MD

To better serve pinnipeds that strand along Maryland’s Atlantic coast and beyond, the National Aquarium will be adding triage operations to their Animal Rescue services. In conjunction with the Town of Ocean City, the Aquarium has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to lease a property within the town’s municipal complex that will be the location for triage operations for the next 5 years. The location includes office space for staff, plus a separate area designed and outfitted for animal holding and treatments. The triage location will allow staff to conduct point-of-stranding diagnostic testing and stabilization for pinnipeds, with the goal of improving animal welfare and survival. The National Aquarium’s primary rehabilitation facility is in Baltimore, Maryland; Baltimore is a 3-hour drive from the Atlantic coast of Maryland, where the majority of pinnipeds strand within the state. The new triage facility will provide temperature-controlled accommodations for patients to receive initial care, stabilize them for lengthy transports to long term rehabilitation, and will fill a critical need within the Greater Atlantic Region for short-term stabilization and holding of pinnipeds.

Development of an Innovative Cetacean Intensive Care Unit on Cape Cod, MAW

Brian Sharp, Director, Marine Mammal Rescue and Research, IFAW, Yarmouth Port, MA
Misty E. Niemeyer, Stranding Coordinator, Marine Mammal Rescue and Research, IFAW, Yarmouth Port, MA
Jonathan D. Picard, Rehabilitation Coordinator, Marine Mammal Rescue and Research, IFAW, Yarmouth Port, MA
Sarah M. Sharp, Veterinarian, Marine Mammal Rescue and Research, IFAW, Yarmouth Port, MA

Twenty-five percent of live cetacean strandings in the US occur in southeastern Massachusetts. Cape Cod, in particular has the highest frequency of cetacean mass strandings in the world. In a recent 5-year period (2017-2021) IFAW responded to 403 live stranded cetaceans (~80/year). Since there are no cetacean rehabilitation facilities north of Florida, the IFAW team has developed a response paradigm that treats animals in the field while evaluating them as best as possible to determine the best course of action (relocate and release immediately or euthanize). However, a subset of stranded dolphins and porpoises present with more significant conditions caused by the stranding event itself, which cannot be adequately treated with field response alone. To have an increased chance of post-release survival, these animals require additional diagnostics and treatments that can only be provided through an extended course of care. In order to address this need, IFAW developed an innovative Cetacean Intensive Care Unit (CICU). The primary goal of CICU is to improve survival of live stranded small cetaceans (dolphins and porpoise) through the provision of short term (<96 hour) intensive care prior to release. With a secondary goal of increasing capacity for cetacean stranding response regionally, nationally and internationally, CICU will also provide opportunities for stranding professionals to gain critical training on stranded cetacean procedures and protocols. An overview of the program’s goals and objectives will be presented along with an update on current status.

Pinniped/Development

Emerging Trends in Gray Seal Populations in Delaware

Zeal Goolesby, Marine Education, Research & Rehabilitation Institute, Lewes, Delaware
Suzanne Thurman, Marine Education, Research & Rehabilitation Institute, Lewes, Delaware

The historical presence of large seal populations along the Delaware coast harkens back to the 1800’s but has ebbed and flowed over time. An establishing seasonal colony of gray seals (Halichoerus grypus) over the past decade, and the subsequent seal pupping activity that has emerged are novelle occurrences for coastal Delaware in recent times. Our research is utilizing vessel-based surveys to provide greater insights into the colony’s population density, species dynamics, seasonality of the colony, pupping activity, morbidity and health indicators, and geo-spatial distribution utilizing Seal Codex for photo identification purposes. Our research will also investigate the potential impacts of increased vessel traffic near the colony due to seal-watching tours that have cropped up in the past year.

Measuring progesterone levels in a female humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) baleen

Shreya Vinodh - College of the Atlantic, ME 04609, USA
Rachel Rice - College of the Atlantic, ME 04609, USA
Natasha Pastor - College of the Atlantic, ME 04609, USAJooke Robbins - Provincetown Center for Coastal
Studies, MA 02657, USA
Sean Todd - College of the Atlantic, ME 04609, USA

Progesterone levels in pregnant humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are poorly understood. When known, researchers can better assess pregnancy rates—both successful and unsuccessful—and inter-calving intervals, since the only reliable indicator of pregnancy currently is the female’s association with a calf in the following year. As mysticetes, humpback whales have a unique feeding apparatus known as baleen. This keratinous tissue is deposited incrementally by year—its composition includes measurable levels of progesterone. Thus, baleen has the potential to act as a historical record of progesterone levels. Since progesterone plays a vital role in preparing the body for pregnancy and maintaining pregnancy, we hypothesized that we could identify past pregnancies by the presence of unusual yearly spikes in progesterone levels measurable in baleen. In this study, we quantified post-mortem baleen progesterone in pg/mL in a female humpback whale, and identified a spike in progesterone that correlated with the sighting of an associated calf in the following year, 2017. Further, using stable isotope analysis, we estimated baleen growth rate to be 16cm/yr, allowing us to examine three years prior to the animal’s death. For those three years, this was the only pregnancy, confirmed by progesterone levels and sighting record.

Emerging/Measuring

Immediate/Applications

Immediate Release Criteria – Identifying and Releasing Otherwise Healthy Hooked Sea Turtles

Chelsea Witherup, Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response, Virginia Beach, VA
Erin Bates, Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response, Virginia Beach, VA
Ally McNaughton, Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response, Virginia Beach, VA
Susan Barco, Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response & Barco Marine Consulting, Virginia Beach, VA

The Immediate Release Criteria (IRC) are a set of veterinary approved criteria instituted in 2017 in an attempt to offset the increased sea turtle rehabilitation burden since the start of the Pier Partner Program in Virginia. The goal of this criteria was to identify presumptive otherwise healthy sea turtles incidentally caught on recreational fishing line versus those that needed extended time in rehabilitation (i.e., extensive manipulation for hook removal and/or sedation, further diagnostics/veterinary assessments). Each sea turtle that was recovered was examined at admit and either met criteria for immediate release or needed further diagnostics to determine health status. Turtles that were considered as having met IRC were then released within 72 hours of admit.

The criteria were originally established using accepted published and historic local data. Each year the data from the previous year were analyzed and revisions to the criteria were made prior to the next hook season. Revisions were made each year between 2018 and 2021, with no revisions made in 2022. The most significant revisions were the addition of a tiered system in 2018 and primary and secondary criteria in 2021 to streamline diagnostics and more accurately capture health status.

During 2017, the first year of implementation of the IRC, only 3% of hooked sea turtles were released within 72 hours. After the significant revisions in 2018 and 2021, 17% were released within 72 hours each of those years. In 2022, admit numbers grew to a record 60 hooked sea turtle patients and 28% were released within 72 hours of admit.

Applications of Delphinid Vitreous Humor Biochemical Analysis for Stranding Response Organizations

Tiffany Zorotrian, MSc, LVT, Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Adam W. Stern, DVM, DACVP, Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Hanzhi Gao, MS, PhD, Department of Biostatistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Alexander Costidis, PhD, Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Program, Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Christine Fontaine, MSc, Conservation Medicine and Science, Pacific Marine Mammal Center, Laguna Beach, California
Alissa Deming, MS, DVM, PhD, Conservation Medicine and Science, Pacific Marine Mammal Center, Laguna Beach, California
Craig Harms, DVM, PhD, DACZM, Department of Clinical Sciences and Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Morehead City, North Carolina Hayley R. Adams, DVM, PhD, DACVPM, DACVM, Maples Center for Forensic Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

Biochemical analysis of vitreous humor (VH) has several forensic applications, including estimation of postmortem interval (PMI) and as proxy for select antemortem serum analytes. Estimation of PMI from VH analytes has potential to be a valuable forensic tool for marine mammal strandings, as time of death is essential to provide spatial and temporal context for anthropogenic interactions. Little work has been done on VH biochemistry in cetaceans due in part to a paucity of appropriate cases and relatively high cost of analysis. The Abaxis VetScan VS2 (VetScan) chemistry analyzer is inexpensive and requires low sample volume (100 µl), making VH analysis more accessible for organizations with limited resources. To investigate the utility of VH biochemistry in stranded delphinids, paired antemortem serum/plasma and postmortem VH samples (n=10) were analyzed on the UF Clinical Pathology Lab’s Beckman Coulter AU480. Results were assessed via a Wilcoxon signed-rank test and calculation of the intraclass correlation coefficient. To evaluate precision of the Vetscan on delphinid VH, pooled samples (n=12) of delphinid VH were serially analyzed and the between-run and within-run coefficient of variation calculated for each analyte. These results established precision of the VetScan for analysis of glucose, albumin, globulin, total protein, urea nitrogen, sodium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus in delphinid VH. The combined data indicate that urea nitrogen, creatinine, glucose, and potassium can be informative in delphinid VH, and that documentation of time of sample collection in relation to time of death (when available) is critical to interpreting VH electrolytes and extrapolation of PMI.

Seal/Impementing

Seal Codex- AI for Conservation

Andrea Bogomolni, NASRC, UMass Boston, School for the Environment
Tanya Stere, WildMe

Photo Identification and mark-recapture studies can be used to understand a multitude of questions about populations including abundance, movement, habitat use and individual life history - parameters that are imperative for better conservation and management of species. Human observers and good images are key, but artificial intelligence is a tool that can help simplify and expedite these efforts.

Seal Codex is a photo identification platform managed by Wild Me that can aid in mark-recapture studies and other seal research. Artificial intelligence automates the process of finding the animal in the photo, drawing a bounding box and predicting the viewpoint. It is also leveraged in suggesting matching photographs from within the database. Configurable databases can allow researchers to maintain their historical catalogs and preserve metadata ownership while collaborating together to achieve results with a global impact. Wild Me is a non-profit that creates open source species-focused platforms that support of mark-recapture and population studies by automating the process of photo identification.

The vision for the project is that Seal Codex will support ongoing seal research that is essential to their long-term conservation. Continuing platform developments will address seal research challenges and considerations by providing the data necessary to make the Seal Codex most useful.

Implementing the Incident Command System for Large Whale Response in the New York Bight

Principal Author/ Presenter: Robert A. DiGiovanni, Jr., Executive Director/ Chief Scientist, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Westhampton Beach, NY
Kimberly Durham, Necropsy Program Coordinator, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Westhampton Beach, NY
Allison M. DePerte, Research Associate/ Field Biologist, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Westhampton Beach, NY
Principal Author/ Presenter: Robert A. DiGiovanni, Jr., Executive Director/ Chief Scientist, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society
Presentation Type: 10 Minute talk
Session: Regional Marine Mammal Strandings/ Management/ Conservation

The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMSEAS) has been authorized to respond to large whale stranding since January 2017. AMSEAS team members have responded to strandings in the Greater Atlantic Region for over 33 years. During that time, the team has responded to 87% (n=152 of the n=174) of the large whales reported to the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program for the New York Bight. The frequency and complexity of large whale strandings in the NY Bight has been increasing since the early 2000s. These changes have been coupled with an increase in opportunistic sightings of large whale strandings in the New York Bight. In response to the increase in stranding frequency and complexity, AMSEAS worked with NOAA Fisheries, local municipalities, towns and villages to develop a Large Whale Response Plan. The development of this plan initially focused on the Long Island Sound and resulted in a MOU with between Mystic Aquarium and AMSEAS to train and work together on large whale events in their respective response areas. The plan utilizes the Incident Command System to organize resources and keep all necessary parties informed while providing effective response to the event. This plan can be used as a template for response activities in other regions to ensure documentation of large whale strandings continue especially in light of increasing offshore development from the shipping, commercial fishing and offshore energy development sectors.

Sea Turtle Strandings in the New York Bight

Principal Author/ Presenter: Kimberly Durham, Necropsy Program Coordinator, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Westhampton Beach, NY
Robert A. DiGiovanni, Jr., Executive Director/ Chief Scientist, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Westhampton Beach, NY
Allison M. DePerte, Research Associate/ Field Biologist, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Westhampton Beach, NY
Principal Author/ Presenter: Kimberly Durham, Necropsy Program Coordinator, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Westhampton Beach, NY
Presentation Type: Speed talk or poster
Session: Regional Marine Mammal Strandings/ Management/ Conservation

Sea turtle strandings have been documented in the New York Bight since the early 1980s. Stranding responses have evolved to incorporate increasing coastal wildlife populations and associated challenges with shared habitat utilization by humans and wildlife. Increases in human population and wildlife have fostered the evolution of stranding response efforts. Stranding events that once had only a few observers now have hundreds of spectators and require considerably more resources. In response to these changes, AMSEAS is analyzing historic sea turtle stranding trends to adress the following questions: What factors are contributing to mortality in sea turtles in the New York Bight? Are human interaction increases being documented in specific geographic locations? How can the causal factors for mortality be mitigated by the public? As ocean development continues to increase, including establishing offshore wind energy projects, these baseline data will inform environmental managers of changes occurring and enable mitigation measures to be established. AMSEAS will combine the results of this data analysis with active health assessment and monitoring projects to contribute to the overall picture of the health of sea turtles in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean.

Monitoring the health and movements of pinnipeds in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean

Principal Author/ Presenter: Robert A. DiGiovanni, Jr., Executive Director/ Chief Scientist, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Westhampton Beach, NY
Kimberly Durham, Necropsy Program Coordinator, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Westhampton Beach, NY
Allison M. DePerte, Research Associate/ Field Biologist, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Westhampton Beach, NY
Kimberly Murray, Research Biologist & Seal Team Lead, NOAA, NEFSC, Protected Species Branch, Woods Hole, MA
Lynda Doughty, Founding Executive Director, Marine Mammals of Maine, Bath, ME
Monica DeAngelis, Marine Mammal Biologist, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport, RI
Principal Author/ Presenter: Robert A. DiGiovanni, Jr., Executive Director/ Chief Scientist, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society
Presentation Type: Speed talk or poster
Session: Regional Marine Mammal Strandings/ Management/ Conservation

The Northwest Atlantic Pinniped Health Assessment Project is a collaboration between Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Marine Mammals of Maine, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University (Runstadler Lab), the Nature Conservancy (Virginia), Naval Undersea Warfare Center, and Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Atlantic, Mystic Aquarium and Stony Brook University’s Marine Science Station. These researchers have come together to conduct studies on wild harbor (Phoca vitulina) and gray (Halichoerus grypus) seals in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean to document their population size, the movements of these animals through the region and better understand the role they play in the overall ecosystem. This multi-year study is documenting, sampling and satellite-tagging seals from Maine through Virginia. The team plans to deploy 10-20 satellite tags per year for the next four years. Satellite tag data is being analyzed to understand broadscale movements of seals throughout the region and how they respond to natural and anthropogenic changes. Preliminary data from pinnipeds tagged during the 2021 field season in NY show that some animals have stayed close to the haul-out sites they were tagged at, while others moved far distances in few days. Gray seals tagged in Southern New England have travelled to the Abyssal Plain and the Scotian Shelf. Data collected through this study will inform environmental managers of areas of potential conflict between pinniped populations and new ocean development.

Treatment for Cervical Myositis in a Cold-Stunned Kemps Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)

Megan Strobel, DVM, National Aquarium, Baltimore, MD
Jennifer Dittmar, National Aquarium, MD
Aimee Berliner, DVM, National Aquarium, Baltimore, MD
Sarah Balik, DVM, National Aquarium, Baltimore, MD
Charles Innis, VMD, DABVP (BA) New England Aquarium, Boston, MA

Cervical myositis and trismus (lockjaw) is an uncommon sequela of the cold-stun phenomenon in sea turtles. There are no published studies on this condition, but it has been described previously (via personal communication) in large juvenile loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) and is a known clinical entity amongst rehabilitation facilities. One cold stunned Kemps ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) at the National Aquarium last year presented with an inability to open its mouth following cold-stunning in New England. Cervical myositis was diagnosed via CT, and treatment consisting of intralesional steroids, vitamin E, acupuncture and physical therapy were undertaken. The animal recovered and was released 8 months and 12 days after admit. The treatment plan was based on clinical insights from the New England Aquarium.

Tracking Post-Release Movement Patterns of New York’s Rehabilitated Sea Turtles and Their Utilization of Different Marine Habitats

Maxine Montello, Rescue Program Director, New York Marine Rescue Center, Riverhead, NY, mmontello@nymarinerescue.org
Joseph Warren, Associate Professor, School for Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, joe.warren@stonybrook.edu
Wendy McFarlane, Professor, Division of Natural Sciences, Mathematics & Computing, Manhattanville College, Purchase, NY, wendy.mcfarlane@mville.edu

The post-release movement pattern of 30 sea turtles rehabilitated at the New York Marine Rescue Center (NYMRC) were tracked using satellite tags. Of the 30 satellite-tagged turtles, 10 were Kemp’s ridley, 9 were Atlantic green and 11 were loggerhead sea turtles. In New York, sea turtles strand for various reasons including entanglement, vessel interaction, malnourishment/debilitation, and cold stunning with many cases linked to human activities and overlap of shared resources between sea turtle and human populations. Between 2019 and 2023, NYMRC attached satellite tags (Wildlife Computers SPLASH and SPOT tags) to 30 of the 85 (35%) sea turtles that were rehabilitated and released. All sea turtles were approved for release by NYMRC attending veterinarians and release locations were pre-approved by NOAA Sea Turtle Stranding Coordinator. Data collected from these tags supports the rehabilitation efforts of NYMRC and illustrates the post-release movement patterns of successfully rehabilitated sea turtles. It is predicted that all released turtles will exhibit normal migratory behavior following rehabilitation. Preliminary data show that most animals exhibited southern or offshore movement consistent with preferable post-release behavior. Tag duration lasted 28 – 602 days with a mean of 206 days and standard deviation of 135.93. The data suggests that both short-and long-term rehabilitated sea turtles resume normal movements when released. Movement data from these turtles provides information on the foraging areas in New York state waters during the late summer and early fall.
Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank all the biologists, veterinarians, volunteers, and interns that assisted with response and rescue these critical sea turtles. Clinical care and husbandry of sea turtles at NYMRC was conducted with authorization of the Department of the Interior U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the U.S. Department of Commerce National Marine Fisheries Service. These data were collected under U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service permit number #TEO1150C-1 and #TE-697823 to M.A.M.

Treatment/Tracking