Temporal and geographic occurrences of cetacean strandings and manatee sightings in Virginia, with notes on adverse human-cetacean interactions, from 1983-1989

Authors

Lee W. Morgan, Virginia Institute of Marine Science
John A. Musick, Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Charles W. Potter

Document Type

Article

Department/Program

Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Publication Date

2002

Journal

Journal of the North Carolina Academy of Science

Volume

118

Issue

1

First Page

12

Last Page

26

Abstract

From 1 January 1983 to 31 December 1989, 416 cetacean strandings consisting of five families and 15 species, and five manatee sightings were recorded in Virginia waters. Most records were of bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus (339, 1.3%). Most cetacean strandings were reported from Virginia Beach (230, 55.1 % ). The highest number of strandings occurred in 1987 (265, 63.5%) when an epizootic killed many Tursiops. There were five confirmed sightings of manatees in Virginia waters during the study period. Thirty-four stranded cetaceans showed signs of adverse interactions related to human activities.

Keywords

stranding ; cetaceans; marine mammals

Publication Statement

This is contribution number 2435 from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

Recommended Citation

Morgan, Lee W.; Musick, John A.; and Potter, Charles W., Temporal and geographic occurrences of cetacean strandings and manatee sightings in Virginia, with notes on adverse human-cetacean interactions, from 1983-1989 (2002). Journal of the North Carolina Academy of Science, 118(1), 12-26.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles/2331