By Susan Berta, Orca Network | Program Coordinator
The Central Puget Sound Marine Mammal Stranding Network has continued to respond to a higher number of Harbor Porpoise strandings than we have experienced at any time in our past - as of November, we have had 13 dead Harbor porpoise strand in Island and Skagit counties, four in the quarter since our last project report.
We conducted two necropsies in September, one of which was confirmed to be a fisheries interaction. Net markings were detected on the face and rostrum of the porpoise, and the necropsy found no sign of disease or ill health, though when we cut into the skull, hemorrhaging was found at the base of the skull and top vertebrae, likely from the porpoise's struggle when it became entangled in the net. Besides being able to document a fisheries interaction, this rare healthy specimen will enable us to do testing on different tissues and organs to compare to the usual diseased porpoise that we necropsy. We are awaiting results of tests on additional necropsies performed this past month, and have two more porpoise in freezer storage awaiting necropsy by our team.
And speaking of our team - we have had some changes this year, as we say farewell to Matt Klope who has been one of our CPSMMSN’s principle investigators for many many years. Regretfully, Matt has resigned that position to make more time for his family and growing taxidermy business, and will no longer be involved with most of our strandings/necropsies - however will come and help out as his schedule allows when we have whales or large pinnipeds on the beach.
THANK YOU MATT—for all you have done with CPSMMSN!
To replace Matt on our necropsy and stranding team, we have been very lucky to find Dr. Barry Rickman VMD, PhD, DACVP. Barry is a veterinary pathology (Sound Vet Path) specialist and has recently joined our team. He resides in Edmonds—and has a home pet care and euthanasia business, and is a great part of our necropsy and pathology team — we’re very happy to have him on board. Barry has put together a great poster about our porpoise with B-cell Lymphoma,which was presented at the regional Marine Mammal Stranding workshop, and he and Stephanie Norman are working on publication of a paper on this case.
It is only through the help of YOUR donations that the Central Puget Sound Marine Mammal Stranding Network can continue to keep up with stranding response and investigation in the Salish Sea, and we truly appreciate your support.
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