This 4 April report concerning the ongoing mass stranding of hundreds of long beaked common dolphins and Burmeister’s porpoises is being forwarded on behalf of Dr. Carlos Yaipen-LLanos, President - Science Director, ORCA Peru . He is working with Hardy Jones, who has posted a video and blogs athttp://bluevoice.org/webfilms_catastropheperu.php. Dr. Yaipen-LLanos reports ...Situation is worse than imaginable. The whole situation is a UME effectively, and needs to be address in detail. You probably read Hardy’s blog, so here some more field information: 1. On March 25th, we received a communication from an ORCA sentinel volunteer located on site indicating the presence of hundreds of stranded dolphins. ORCA and Bluevoice decided to execute this survey of 135 Km from San Jose in Lambayeque state to the southern border of Illescas National Park, in Piura state, to collect visual and sample evidence. Our survey was in coordination with the Police of the Environment Protection (Ecological Police). 2. As previously reported, two species have been affected: Long beaked common dolphin (Delphinus capensis) and Burmeister’s porpoise (Phocoena spinipinnis). We counted 615 common dolphins. All age classes were affected: Adult males, females, lactating females, juveniles, calves and newborns. We counted 19 porpoises, only females and calves. 3. There are carcasses in different degrees of decomposition and every 10 to 30 meters, none of them older than 5 weeks. This matches with the fact that these strandings happened right after our previous survey. We found animals recently dead (no more than 12 hours) and several carcasses of juveniles and calves showed “rigor mortis” as being dead on land, then stranded alive (stiff arc position, beak open, belly down, transversal to tide line, no more than 3 days dead). 4. Necropsies were performed on site. Macroscopic findings include: hemorrhagic lesions in the middle including the acoustic chamber, fractures in the periotic bones, bubbles in blood filling liver and kidneys (animals were diving, so the main organs were congested), lesions in the lungs compatible with pulmonary emphysema, sponge-like liver. So far we have 12 periotic samples from different animals, all with different degree of fractures and 80% of them with fracture in the right periotic bones, compatible with acoustic impact and decompression syndrome. 5. Histopathology analysis in under process at this point from 30 tissues collected. We hope to have results by Monday. We will assess septic evidence, viral inclusion bodies, and microscopic confirmation of decompression syndrome. These samples will be compared with samples collected from previous surveys in the area. After these results are acquired, we will continue testing collected tissues. 6. At this point, the evidence points towards acoustic impact and decompression syndrome. However, the large aggregation of dolphins is leading towards a potential epidemic outbreak of morbillivirus, brucella or both. We have recorded morbillivirus in South American sea-lions and the Peruvian population of common dolphins is a migratory part of that at Costa Rica, so chances are high. Also, evidence of previous mass stranding of this magnitude was associated to morbillivirus outbreak in Europe during the 90’s also in common dolphins and porpoises. 7. That lead us to believe the event started close to shore are: a) Carcasses found fresh or with little decomposition, and those in moderate decomposition retain skin. Normally is lost when carcasses drift off shore for some time, so the animals died not too far from shore. b) Lactating females, calves and newborns were found. This indicated breeding season and matches with the fact that many cetacean species use coastal waters to protect the off-spring from predators and provide more secure shallows. c) Dolphins search for high-productivity areas to feed large pods and this is more important during breeding season. The coastal northern Peru has been a hot spot for fishermen this season. 8. Fishermen leader in San Jose requested my advice towards the issue of the acoustic impact upon fisheries a year ago, when an oil company invited him on board a vessel for him to witness that seismic surveys with compressed air do not produce effects upon marine life. Of course, little he knew that the effects are not visible immediately, and that species are affected depending on the intensity of the high frequency used. It is for the Attorney for Environmental Affairs of Piura to determine the source of the acoustic impact. 9. We are aware that dolphins continue stranding. For that reason, we are to return to the stranding site for another survey with the Ecological Police and to run test on site and to collect more samples for lab analysis. We know that the Institution for the Sea of Peru has collected samples for analysis, but we don’t know the sort of samples nor the results so far. 10. Also, we had testimonial on the San Jose beaches that stranded dolphins were “harvested” for human consumption, burying the carcasses. We did find one of them not too far from the fishermen boats. We also interviewed the Manager for the Medical Post, and confirmed to us that the rate of diabetes in humans, mainly fishermen, have tripled over the past 6 years. We are in coordination with her to develop an education campaign on information and research on the potential relationship of diabetes and dolphin meat consumption. 11. Under the current circumstances and after a long assessment of our Stranding Network, all the dolphins and porpoises stranded respond to one sole UME that started in middle January, and continues today. With all available count in an area of 350 Km of coastline with reported strandings from northern Piura to northern Lambayeque, we estimate around 3,000 dead dolphins so far. This is the largest mass stranding ever recorded in the coast of Peru and with no precedent in the South American region. Situation has is overwhealming. Even children have been involved in collecting dolphin meat at the southern end of the stranding site (Lambayeque), and have been trying to rescue agonic dolphins at the northern range (Piura). We need financial support to be available for trip, sampling, testing, equipment and educational campaign. additional images: http://peru.com/actualidad/fotos-varamiento-delfines-mas-grande-registrado-p... ************************** Dr. Carlos Yaipen-LLanos President - Science Director ORCA Organization for Research and Conservation of Aquatic Animals Tel. (511) 99938-9430 E-mail:orcarlos@orca.org.pe /orca.peru@gmail.com Web site:www.orca.org.pe Youtube:www.youtube.com/ORCAPERU Facebook: Orca Peru "Rescue, Education, Science and Conservation Saving Marine Life in the South Pacific" ORCA is a non-profit organization based in Lima, Peru, dedicated to do research, rescue and rehabilitation of sea-lions, dolphins, whales and marine otters to be release in the wild, promoting long term education programs and the development of strategies for the conservation of the ocean.