Most Cetacean Strandings Go Unreported

Along the thousands of miles of unmonitored coastlines of the world, there could be graveyards that never get noticed. Researchers from Cornell University conducted an experiment to understand how often stranded dolphins are actually discovered and reported by the public—critical data for marine mammal stranding networks. Scientists placed decoy dolphin carcasses (textile bags filled with sand) around Dauphin Island, Alabama. Each decoy had a phone number tag for public reporting. Deployments occurred during peak tourist season and the off-season, across varied habitats and human activity levels. Only 58% of decoys were found and reported. Discovery rates were lower in less trafficked areas and during the off-season. This suggests that many real strandings may go unreported, skewing mortality estimates. The study helps refine search strategies for stranded animals. It underscores the need for better public awareness and more accurate mortality data to assess environmental threats and conservation needs. When you add to this that for every cetacean found on the shoreline, 20 die at sea, the number that actually do could be much higher than we thought.