September 6, 2013 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch Page 9 . . Multiple Dolphin Fatalities Reported FROM PAGE 8 can be easily deployed to stop the spread of the virus in wild, migratory dolphin populations. The only cure is for the animal’s natural ability to build antibodies to the virus. Morbillivirus causes secondary viral and bacterial diseases, and during necropsies moderate to severe ammonia is being found in dolphins suffering from the virus causing hardened lung tissue. “That is a very common finding within all these animals, so they are not considered as good candidates for rehabilitation,” she said. “Once lung tissue like that with ammonia starts getting really hard, almost like scar tissue, there is no way you can reverse that.” On Friday, another dolphin washed ashore on 49th Street. According to Dittmar, the dolphin had already died at sea and had extensive shark damage. It is unknown what the cause of death was. “It was in an advanced stage of decomposition, so we could not de-termine the cause of death,” she said. “It was a bottlenose and at this point NOAA is considering any bottlenose dolphin to be associated with this event until proven otherwise.” Morbillivirus is the same virus that caused over 740 marine mammals to strand in a similar event back in 1987 and 1988, the last time a massive die-off of bottlenose dolphins along the Atlantic Coast like this was observed. “We are anticipating seeing more dolphins turn up. Unfortunately, it is a natural event that we can’t stop,” Dittmar said. “We just need to gather as much information from it as we can to figure out exactly what population it is impacting. That helps NOAA with all their sampling and all their effort in investigating this.” The two dolphin strandings last week were the only cases brought before the public’s eye, but Dittmar reported more dolphin washed ashore in Ocean City and on Assateague over the weekend. Dittmar explained, a lot of the cases are not reported because the Ocean City Department of Public Works operates closely with the DNR, and when Public Works comes across a carcass it is removed from the beach and DNR is immediately called to conduct a necropsy. Last week, DNR reported thus far this summer, there have been 291 cases of dead or dying dolphins recovered or rescued in the mid-Atlantic region compared to a historic mean of 26. Also, 32 dolphins tested from all five states in the affected region, including Maryland, are either suspected or confirmed positive for moribillivirus. In 11 samples, genetic sequencing has confirmed the findings. Veterinary pathologists have also looked at eight animals and determined that detected changes in dolphin tissues are consistent with the morbillivirus infection. Additional testing is being conducted on other animals. Happy Hour 3-6 p.m. MONDAY-THURSDAY Duck Parties Start 4-9 p.m. Friday 9/6 Aaron Howell Trio Saturday 9/7 King’s Ransom Sunday 9/8 Bird Dog & The Road Kings Wednesday 9/11 Rock The Dock With DJ Batman Thursday 9/12 Tranzfusion www.mrducksbar.com 311 Talbot Street • 410-289-9125 Open 7 Days A Week At 11 a.m.