2013 Bottlenose Dolphin Unusual Mortality Event in the Mid-Atlantic
An unusual mortality event (UME)
An unusual mortality event (UME)
Defined under the Marine Mammal Protection Act as: "a stranding that is unexpected; involves a significant die-off of any marine mammal population; and demands immediate response.
Current bottlenose dolphin strandings are over nine times the historical average for the months of July and August for the Mid-Atlantic Region. All age classes of bottlenose dolphins are involved and strandings range from a few live animals to mostly dead animals with many very decomposed. Many dolphins have presented with lesions on their skin, mouth, joints, or lungs
Morbillivirus
The tentative cause of the UME is being attributed to cetacean morbillivirus, based upon preliminary diagnostic testing and discussion with disease experts.
The UME investigation is still ongoing and additional contributory factors to the UME are under investigation including other pathogens, biotoxins, range expansion, etc. Further evaluations will continue over the next several months as new animals are found or new evidence determines the direction of the investigation.
These rigorous investigations may take several more months to complete. Additional studies are underway to better understand the characteristics of morbillivirus and the potential impacts of this virus on dolphin stocks. These studies are in collaboration with several NOAA laboratories and science centers, stranding network members, non-profit research organizations and academic partners.
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