Cutting up dead beached whales, UAA students can help with marine mammal necropsies

UAA is a part of the Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network which researches and takes samples of stranded marine mammals. Natalie Rouse is a research professional and stranding coordinator for the university who works with the network. Rouse and UAA Veterinary Pathologist Dr. Kathy Burek work together to respond to dead-stranded marine mammals across the state.

Marine mammals are considered stranded when they are alive and unable to return to sea. They can also be dead and beached or found floating in the water – dead or alive – according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

A volunteer program at UAA allows students and community members to assist in collecting samples for research and diagnosis of dead-stranded marine mammals.

The volunteer program has a grant through UAA allowing activity in Marine Mammal Stranding Response. Rouse said she and Burek like to involve students in the program to get them interested in marine biology and help them learn about anatomy.

The necropsy program does not typically deal with live stranded animals, but they may assist the Alaska SeaLife Center in live strandings when more assistance is needed.

Rouse explained that participants in the program collect samples for the National Marine Fisheries Service and the samples are then sent to diagnostic labs and researchers in an attempt to understand their condition while alive and why the animals died.

After examining the samples in the diagnostic lab, they are sent to archives such as the University of Alaska Museum of the North in Fairbanks.

“They'll take a little piece of several different organs of each mammal and then they'll take bones as well so people can do future research on them,” said Rouse.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, necropsy research is important because “through necropsies we have learned a significant amount about the basic physiology and biology of animals that are not accessible in the wild or through other means.”

Rouse explained that the reason marine mammals die is often dependent on species or location. Sea lions and humpback whales tend to have interactions with fisheries, such as getting hooked, getting hit by fishing boats or becoming entangled in a variety of fishing gear. Meanwhile, Cook Inlet Beluga whales die more often because of disease.

In the last year, Rouse explained that the program responded to reports of four belugas, four porpoises, three harbor seals, two humpback whales and nine steller sea lions, with most reports occurring in the summer and fall.

There are currently 60 active volunteers that consist of both students and community members available to collect samples across the state.

To volunteer for the program, you must first contact Rouse to receive printable application documents. After filling out the application, it must be physically mailed to Rouse.

“We figure out how many we’ll need, then… I send out a mass email and whoever responds that they can do it, that's who comes.”

The program is still accepting applications.

Interestingly, after the emergence of Covid-19, Rouse explained that reports of beached mammals had decreased.

“It could be because we are out less and reporting less, it could be because we put a lot of effort into training people in other areas of Alaska so that they could do it themselves. You only have about a day or two to have a really fresh, really good case, otherwise you lose a ton of information,” said Rouse.  

Rouse said that the decrease in marine mammal reporting is happening nationwide. There is a stranding response network in every coastal area and many are experiencing a similar trend.

“Report marine mammals, dead or alive, as soon as you see them. A lot of people think ‘it’s dead, I’ll report it later’ but actually we lose a lot of information if we don’t get it reported right away,” said Rouse.

To find out more about this program or sign up to volunteer, contact Natalie Rouse at nrouse@alaska.edu. To report a stranded marine mammal, call the 24 hour National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hotline at 1-877-925-7773 or the Alaska SeaLife Center at (888) 378-2525.