Mystic Aquarium

Join us on Friday, June 28 for our Seals on the Rocks fundraiser.

Mystic Aquarium’s Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Program supports animals in need, educates the public about the marine environment and its inhabitants, and promotes our mission to inspire people to care about and protect our ocean planet.

Mystic Aquarium is a founding member of the Northeast Region Stranding Network. The network consists of independent organizations dedicated to caring for sick and injured animals and learning more about the reasons they come ashore. Only groups and facilities authorized by the National Marine Fisheries Service are permitted to handle these animals, which are protected under federal law.

The efforts of the Aquarium and its volunteer "first responder" network are centered on the coasts of Connecticut, Rhode Island and Fishers Island, N.Y., but the Aquarium has also supported institutions from Maine to New Jersey, and even in Texas, when other institutions have needed support for their operations. To date the Aquarium has responded to more than 1100 stranded seals, whales, dolphins, porpoises and sea turtles. From 2007 to 2012, we have responded to 376 strandings and 426 sightings and accepted 113 seals from other facilities for rehabilitation.

Learn about our Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Program in this video.

Research

Aquarium scientists maintain data on marine mammal and sea turtle strandings and sightings as a means of monitoring the behavior and health of these animals, always vigilant for changes in patterns that might signal an unusual event such as a viral outbreak or a toxic algal bloom. The condition of these animals reveals much about the health of our oceans.

Get Involved!

During the stranding season, which typically begins in January and lasts through the summer, the Aquarium receives more than 100 rescue calls each year, and it can cost thousands of dollars to take care of just one injured or sick animal over a one-month period. Even "off-season', we respond to calls and sightings. The Aquarium's Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding program is recognized as one of the most utilized and comprehensive in New England, based on its response to rescue calls and the successful release rate of animals rehabilitated in our facility. Help us continue to help marine animals in need by making a donation to our Marine Animal Rescue fund.