Through this project, the international fund for animal welfare (ifaw) will provide support to build the capacity of the US marine mammal stranding network (network) to respond to live stranded…

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded $157,795 to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) under the Marine Mammal Data Program (CFDA 11.439) for the period of November 1, 2025, through October 31, 2026. IFAW will deliver capacity-building support to the U.S. Marine Mammal Stranding Network to enhance live cetacean (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) response capabilities. Primary deliverables include providing short-term intensive care for stranded cetaceans at IFAW's Cetacean Intensive Care Unit (CICU) on Cape Cod; delivering hands-on training to network members across critical competencies such as safe handling, supportive care, clinical skills, transport, and release operations; and developing online training resources through IFAW's Academy for Rescue and Conservation to enable nationwide knowledge sharing and capacity building.

The award also supports the development and field application of the CetaSpiro spirometer, a diagnostic tool designed to improve assessment of respiratory health and lung disease in stranded cetaceans. Project outcomes focus on enhancing live cetacean stranding preparedness and response safety within the network, improving rehabilitation and disposition decisions for eligible CICU patients, and advancing health assessment capabilities through application of the new diagnostic tool. These activities are intended to improve post-release survival rates and increase the quantity and quality of data collected from live cetaceans across the stranding network.

Through this project, the international fund for animal welfare (ifaw) will provide support to build the capacity of the US marine mammal stranding network (network) to respond to live stranded cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises); continue providing short-term care to select stranded cetaceans on cape COD at ifaws cetacean intensive care unit (cicu); and collaborate with researchers and other network members to test and further develop a diagnostic toolthe cetaspiro spirometerto better evaluate respiratory health in stranded cetaceans. The work provides training opportunities for national network members to gain experience in key components of live cetacean stranding response, including safe handling, supportive care, clinical skills, decision-making, transport, tagging, release, and euthanasia while providing support for cases admitted to ifaws cicu. Hands-on training will be supplemented by online resources through ifaws academy for rescue and conservation (ARC), which can be shared broadly nationwide, increasing the opportunities for knowledge sharing and capacity building within the network. Additionally, the work will support hands-on training and operational support for collaborators to further develop protocols for field application of the cetaspiro to improve diagnosis of lung disease in stranded cetaceans. The overarching outcomes of the project are: (1) live cetacean stranding preparedness, response skills, and safety are improved within the network; (2) eligible cicu patients receive short-term rehabilitation resulting in improved disposition decisions and post-release survival; and (3) a new lung health diagnostic tool is applied in stranded cetaceans to improve health assessments and disposition decisions. Together, these outcomes will help to advance the response to and welfare of live stranded cetaceans within the network and improve the quantity and quality of data collected from live cetaceans.