The goals of this proposal, which continue and build upon our previous prescott grants, are to (1) provide timely response to marine mammal strandings in our primary response area of southern north…

This Project Grant award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the Marine Mammal Data Program (CFDA 11.439) provides $167,268.00 in funding to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW) for the period of Jan 1, 2025 to Dec 31, 2025. The key objectives of this award are to: (1) provide timely response to marine mammal strandings in southern North Carolina, (2) assist with marine mammal stranding response in central and northern North Carolina, and conduct necropsies on a subset of high-quality strandings, (3) document human interactions with bottlenose dolphins to support the Bottlenose Dolphin Take Reduction Team, (4) screen stranded bottlenose dolphins for high-priority pathogens and maintain/analyze a statewide diagnostic database, and (5) train students and the public in stranding response and research at UNCW. The grant supports NOAA's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through these marine mammal conservation and research activities.

The goals of this proposal, which continue and build upon our previous prescott grants, are to (1) provide timely response to marine mammal strandings in our primary response area of southern north carolina, (2) help our colleagues in the central and northern regions of our state in their response to unusual stranding events, and assist with necropsies for a subset of high quality strandings, (3) provide detailed documentation of human interactions, in support of the bottlenose dolphin take reduction team, (4) continue to screen for high priority pathogens including morbillivirus and brucella in a subset of stranded bottlenose dolphins, and to maintain, update, and analyze our states diagnostic results database for epidemiological trends and post-UME monitoring, (5) support noaas commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through training students and members of the public in stranding-based response and research at uncw.