Pygmy sperm whale rescued from Melbourne Beach transported to Harbor Branch's Marine Mammal Emergency Care Center FT. PIERCE, FL — At sunset, Sunday, January 31, 1999, animal care specialists Anne Spellman and Jamie Smith with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) responded to a marine mammal stranding call fielded by the Florida Marine Patrol indicating that a pygmy sperm whale had beached himself at Melbourne Beach near Highway 192 and A1A. Blair Mase, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Southeast Regional Marine Mammal Stranding Coordinator, assessed the facts provided by the DEP animal care specialists and initiated a plan of action to rescue the animal involving Sea World animal care specialists, Harbor Branch's Dolphin Research Center staff and animal care experts with the Marine Animal Rescue Society (MARS). As the Marine Mammal Stranding Coordinator, Mase is responsible for overseeing the entire rescue operation. DEP staff performed the initial assessment of the animal's health upon their arrival at the beaching site, administering critical care and providing comfort to the whale as they waited on the cold beach during heavy rain storms for transport to arrive. Sea World (Orlando) staff immediately mobilized their animal care staff upon notification from Southeast Regional Marine Mammal Stranding Coordinator Blair Mase to travel to Melbourne with a transport truck to move the whale to Harbor Branch's marine mammal emergency care center at Harbor Branch in Fort Pierce. The animal arrived at the facility just prior to midnight. At Harbor Branch, dolphin research program staff, animal care specialists and volunteers prepared for the arrival of the animal and worked together throughout the night serving as a triage center. Assisting Dolphin Research Director Marilyn Mazzoil and Dolphin Program Director Steve McCulloch were the following volunteers: Laura Cousin (Aquaculture); Brandy Ninesling (volunteer coordinator); David Vaughan (HBOI Aquaculture Division Director and specialist in water treatment and filtration), Donna Vaughan (HBOI Education Specialist) and their daughter, DeeDee; Mike Fulmer (HBOI Marina Mechanic); Jim Lappert (HBOI Education Instructor); Deanna Clement (HBOI Education Specialist); Owen Stevens (Aquaculture water chemist); Brian Cousin (diver and HBOI videographer); and Steve Lang, a longtime animal care specialist, formerly with Sea World and Marineland. Pygmy sperm whales frequently beach themselves for a variety of reasons (illness, Disease, injury, etc.). The survival rate for beached whales, however, is only 1 to 2 percent. "This raises an important point," says Harbor Branch's Dolphin Program Research Director Marilyn Mazzoil, "Even though this was a well coordinated rescue effort among the Florida Marine Patrol, Department of Environmental Protection, National Marine Fisheries Service and members of the all-volunteer Marine Mammal Stranding Network, stranded mammals would have a much better chance of survival if more facilities were available to lessen the amount of time a stranded animal must spend in transit out of the water. There are only two facilities along the East Coast of Florida capable of responding to such an emergency. The distance this whale has already traveled underscores the need for more resources to respond to stranding calls." What can the public do to help? If a stranded mammal is sighted, immediately call the Florida Marine Patrol at (800) DIAL FMP. The public can also help support the all-volunteer marine mammal stranding network by purchasing a "Protect Wild Dolphin" specialty license plate which are expected to go on sale in your local county auto tag agency in April 1999. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Inc. is one of the world’s premier not-for-profit marine research facilities, dedicated to the exploration of the world’s oceans, estuaries and coastal regions and the ecologically sound management of the earth’s marine resources.