Page 8 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch September 6, 2013 Dolphin Deaths Continue To Climb In Region By JOANNE SHRINER STAFF WRITER OCEAN CITY – An “unusual mortality event” that has not occurred in the past 25 years is the cause for hundreds of dolphins washing ashore in the region and unfortunately in this case nature has to take its course, officials report. Since at least mid-July, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Stranding Network members, including the National Aquarium’s Marine Animal Rescue Program (MARP) and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, have been responding to an alarming increase in bottlenose dolphin strandings and the trend has not abated. In fact, bottlenose dolphin strandings have increased dramatically over the historic statistical average during July and August. In early August, NOAA fisheries officials declared the situation an “unusual mortality event” and began conducting research, and in many cases, necropsies on the deceased dolphins. It now appears the trend is starting to spread as the dolphins begin their annual migration south. For example, there have been 33 cases reported off the coast of North Carolina in the last few weeks, compared to a historic average of four. After completing initial diagnostic tests on more than two dozen ani- After beaching itself, a dolphin is pictured alive on the beach near 133rd Street last Thursday. The dolphin later had to be euthanized as a result of cetacean morbillivirus. Photo by Mark Huey Photography mals from all of the affected states including Maryland and consulting with disease experts, NOAA has determined the likely primary cause of the unusual mortality event is a virus, more specifically a cetacean morbillivirus, which is characterized as similar to measles in humans, or canine distemper in dogs. Last week there were two reports of bottlenose dolphins washing ashore in Ocean City. Both were believed to have been victims of a morbillivirus. On Thursday, a dolphin washed ashore alive on 133rd Street. MARP volunteers were on site to assist in keeping the animal comfortable until officials arrived. “We ended up having to euthanize the animal. It was not transported for rehabilitation,” said Jennifer Dittmar, stranding coordinator for MARP, on Tuesday. Once arriving on the scene, Dittmar concluded the animal was a bottlenose dolphin and began evaluating the respiration rate and body condition to conclude whether the dolphin would be a candidate for rehabilitation. Dittmar explained morbillivirus is a naturally occurring pathogen in marine mammal populations. It is not infectious to humans. At this time, there is no vaccine that SEE NEXT PAGE