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Whales & dolphins: Investigating strandings
The UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) is funded by UK Government, and more recently, the Devolved Administrations, to investigate all UK stranded cetaceans, marine turtles and basking sharks. CSIP provides a systematic and coordinated approach to the surveillance of cetacean strandings, which has been in operation since 1990.
The CSIP is also funded to undertake post-mortem examinations on a number of suitable carcasses each year, to further investigate causes of death and to collect samples tissue from animals. This archive of samples provides a useful resource for a range of institutions, and has resulted in numerous collaborations, which continue to further our understanding of cetaceans.
Further information on the CSIP, together with more details on regional reporting of strandings can be found at www.ukstrandings.org.
Mass stranding of common dolphins
In June 2008, 26 common dolphins mass stranded in and around a small tidal tributary (Porth Creek, Percuil River) of the Fal Estuary in Cornwall, in the southwest of England. Defra funded the Institute of Zoology to complete a full investigation of this strandings to try to understand what the cause of this event may have been. The full report on the Mass Stranding Event is now available.
Page published: 16 June 2009
Page last modified: 16 June 2009