On behalf of Craig Harms and co-authors the following paper is available Open Access by clicking on this link http://www.jwildlifedis.org/doi/full/10.7589/2013-03-074 or the pdf is at http://www.jwildlifedis.org/doi/pdf/10.7589/2013-03-074 LOW-RESIDUE EUTHANASIA OF STRANDED MYSTICETES *Craig A.Harms^1, <http://www.jwildlifedis.org/doi/abs/10.7589/2013-03-074#aff1>^9 <http://www.jwildlifedis.org/doi/abs/10.7589/2013-03-074#cor1>,William A.McLellan^2 <http://www.jwildlifedis.org/doi/abs/10.7589/2013-03-074#aff2>,Michael J.Moore^3 <http://www.jwildlifedis.org/doi/abs/10.7589/2013-03-074#aff3>,Susan G.Barco^4 <http://www.jwildlifedis.org/doi/abs/10.7589/2013-03-074#aff4>,Elsburgh O. Clarke,III^5, <http://www.jwildlifedis.org/doi/abs/10.7589/2013-03-074#aff5>^8 <http://www.jwildlifedis.org/doi/abs/10.7589/2013-03-074#aff8>,Victoria G.Thayer^6 <http://www.jwildlifedis.org/doi/abs/10.7589/2013-03-074#aff6>, andTeresa K.Rowles^7 <http://www.jwildlifedis.org/doi/abs/10.7589/2013-03-074#aff7>* ^1 Department of Clinical Sciences and Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 303 College Circle, Morehead City, North Carolina 28557, USA ^2 Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, 601 South College Road, Wilmington, North Carolina 28403, USA ^3 Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA ^4 Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, 717 General Booth Boulevard, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451, USA ^5 Department of Clinical Sciences and Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 303 College Circle, Morehead City, North Carolina 28557, USA ^6 North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries and Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, 303 College Circle, Morehead City, North Carolina 28557, USA ^7 Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, 13th Floor, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, USA ^8 Current address: Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, 1 Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130, USA Abstract Euthanasia of stranded large whales poses logistic, safety, pharmaceutical, delivery, public relations, and disposal challenges. Reasonable arguments may be made for allowing a stranded whale to expire naturally. However, slow cardiovascular collapse from gravitational effects outside of neutral buoyancy, often combined with severely debilitating conditions, motivate humane efforts to end the animal's suffering. The size of the animal and prevailing environmental conditions often pose safety concerns for stranding personnel, which take priority over other considerations. When considering chemical euthanasia, the size of the animal also necessitates large quantities of euthanasia agents. Drug residues are a concern for relay toxicity to scavengers, particularly for pentobarbital-containing euthanasia solutions. Pentobarbital is also an environmental concern because of its stability and long persistence in aquatic environments. We describe a euthanasia technique for stranded mysticetes using readily available, relatively inexpensive, preanesthetic and anesthetic drugs (midazolam, acepromazine, xylazine) followed by saturated KCl delivered via custom-made needles and a low-cost, basic, pressurized canister. This method provides effective euthanasia while moderating personnel exposure to hazardous situations and minimizing drug residues of concern for relay toxicity.