Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources is calling on residents and visitors to keep watch for marine mammals and sea turtles while enjoying coastal and tidal waters during the summer season and into early fall.
Seasonal marine wildlife including dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, and whales frequently visit the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries, along with the Atlantic Ocean and coastal bays.
People who spot distressed or injured marine mammals or sea turtles in Maryland waters should call the Maryland Natural Resources Police Hotline at 800-628-9944 or use an online reporting form for deceased animals. Those fishing, boating, or visiting beaches should watch particularly for animals that are stranded, dead, sick, injured, or entangled.
“Maryland has 3,190 miles of tidal coastline, and without reports from the public, it would be impossible to monitor every waterway,” said Stranding Response Program Director Amanda Weschler. “Each stranded animal- and the select necropsies we perform- provides valuable information that contributes to the scientific understanding of marine mammals and sea turtles in Maryland.”
Maryland’s Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Response Program has documented more than 1,630 stranding reports since beginning operations in 1990. Summer months through early fall see increased reports of marine mammal and sea turtle observations, including occasional West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus). Though uncommon, West Indian manatee sightings can occur in Maryland, as the species is considered out-of-habitat in the state. The most recent stranded manatee in Maryland was reported in April 2025.
The Standing Response Program helps enforce federal protections including the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act that protect these marine species. Through necropsies conducted on deceased animals, the program collects critical information about individual animal health, coastal population status, and Maryland’s overall marine environment condition.
Various factors cause marine animals to strand, including advanced age, illness, blunt force trauma from vessel strikes, predation, fishing gear entanglement, and parasites.
Not every reported animal undergoes necropsy due to considerations like decomposition level, available resources, and stranding site accessibility and safety. When necropsy isn’t possible, program staff gather basic data, location details, and photographs. The deceased animal may remain at the stranding location for natural decomposition, which benefits the ecosystem. Other disposal options include on-site burial or transport to approved disposal facilities, based on circumstances and local rules. Contact information for those needing disposal assistance is available on the DNR website.
The department emphasizes that anyone finding a stranded marine animal, whether living or dead, should keep a safe and respectful distance while documenting details including photographs, location data, and the animal’s condition for reporting purposes.
