Many marine mammals spend their life at sea like dolphins and whales, others often come to land like seals and penguins. When they do come to land, with all the best of intentions, we want to help. Often, we don’t know what to do. Here are a few hints to help along the way, it is just like basic first aid for humans.
1) Seals haul out regularly and rest. This is evident if you have been to any seal colonies. Please do not approach these animals, as they are large and very powerful, they can bite and hurt you.
2) Whales and dolphins do not naturally come to land unless they are sick or injured. There are other things that cause they to strand but most frequently the cause is as above. Call for help (local cape nature or rehabilitation centre). Keep the animal moist with wet towels, be careful not to pour water in their blow holes as this can cause them to drown. Be aware that if the animals is still in the water, its distress signals can attract sharks.
3) Penguins and other sea birds are also known for resting on land. Unless there is something obviously wrong with the bird, they can be left to rest. With the present endangered status of the penguins, the rule of thumb is to take them for medical assistance. Again, contact your local cape nature or rehabilitation centre. If you do not know how to handle these animals, leave it for the professionals. They can give a nasty bite.
ORCA TIMES- Quarterly report: January - March 2019
RESEARCH & MONITORING Bumper breeding season for Robberg seals? Between January-March volunteers assisted biologists with six boat-based counts of Cape fur seals that haul out on Robberg Peninsula. Apart from routine counts of adult seals, which have levelled off since 2012 despite seasonal fluctuations in their numbers, our biologists were surprised by the large increase […] Continue Reading...
EDUCATION- Overview!
Education- Siyakula Pre-School Education Once a week, volunteers visit young children at the local crèche to give a lesson on basic English words based on the theme of the week. All teaching is done in English (translated by the teachers into their mother tongue of isiXhosa) so that kids can learn a second language. It […] Continue Reading...
CONSERVATION Overview!
Conservation- Beach Clean-Ups We regularly hike along Plettenberg Bay’s beaches to remove marine debris. Unfortunately we live in a world where people still expose of their rubbish from vessels, in rivers or on beaches. This often causes deadly entanglement in marine animals. Tiny plastic particles (micro-plastics) are also known to end up in the ocean […] Continue Reading...
RESEARCH- Overview!
RESEARCH Overview The ORCA Foundation offers a unique learning experience for volunteers who are passionate about the marine environment. It will allow you to make valuable contributions to increased knowledge, awareness and conservation efforts while supporting applied marine research. As part of our comprehensive volunteer programme, you will regularly receive the opportunity to assist our […] Continue Reading...
The origins of marine mammals
The origins of marine mammals Although all marine mammals evolved from land mammals, it may surprise some that each group of marine mammals has its own unique ancestry. There are three groups of marine mammals: the cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises), the pinnipeds (fur seals, sea lions, walruses and seals) and the sirenians (dugongs and […] Continue Reading...
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