Stranded Marine Animals: Cornwall

Here’s a guide for what to do if you find a stranded marine animal on the coast of Cornwall, UK — with authoritative contacts and clear steps to take.

Cornwall’s coastline is home to a rich variety of marine life, from seals and dolphins to sharks and turtles, and strandings — both live and dead — are taken seriously by conservation and rescue organisations.

First: Stay Safe & Respect the Animal

Before anything else:

Do not touch or handle the animal unless instructed by a professional — large marine animals can carry disease and may injure you if stressed.

Never try to push a stranded animal back into the water yourself. Animals that have stranded often need assessment and care before any attempt at release.

Keep people and pets at a distance to reduce stress on the animal and avoid interference with rescue teams.

Note the location, tide state, and any visible injuries — this information will help responders.

📞 Who to Contact — Live, Distressed, or Dead

🟢 Live Stranded Marine Animals

If the animal is alive and clearly unable to return to the sea:

British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) – Marine mammal and large animal rescue specialists.

📞 BDMLR Rescue Hotline: 01825 765 546 (24 hours)

📞 Out-of-hours (after 5 pm, weekends & bank holidays): 07787 433 412 (voice calls only)

These responders coordinate trained volunteers and medics to assess and help live stranded creatures.

Note: If a seal appears healthy and is simply “hauled out” (resting on the beach), it may not need rescue — but do still keep dogs and people at a distance.

🟡 Dead or Stranded Marine Animals

Whether it’s a whale, dolphin, shark, seal, turtle, or even a smaller creature washed ashore:

Cornwall Wildlife Trust – Marine Strandings Network

📞 24-hour Strandings Hotline: 0345 201 2626

This team records and investigates strandings along the Cornish coast. Your report — even of a dead animal — helps scientists learn about marine health and threats.

🟠 Other Help & Reporting Contacts

Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) Hotline: 0800 652 0333 (UK-wide reporting line for whales/dolphins/porpoises).

RSPCA (for injured birds or smaller marine creatures like sea birds): 0300 1234 999.

Cornwall Marine and Coastal Code Group (report disturbance or harassment): 0345 201 2626.

Emergency (serious threat to life or imminent danger): 999

Non-emergency police (wildlife crime related): 101.

Practical Steps You Can Take

If the animal is alive and struggling;

Keep your distance and make the area calm.

Call BDMLR immediately with details of the sighting.

Watch safely from a distance until help arrives — do not attempt to feed, cover, or move it on your own.

If the animal is dead;

Do not touch it — there’s a risk of disease and injury.

Call the Cornwall Wildlife Trust Strandings Hotline right away so trained volunteers can record the stranding.

If it’s a large whale or dolphin, you can also call the CSIP hotline on 0800 652 0333.

🌊 Why Reporting Matters

Reporting strandings — live or dead — isn’t just about rescue.

Strandings are scientific data points that help researchers understand marine animal health, pollution effects, disease, and threats like entanglement. This helps protect ocean wildlife long-term.

Summary Checklist

📍 Stay safe and keep distance

📞 01825 765 546 – BDMLR (live rescues)

📞 0345 201 2626 – Cornwall Wildlife Trust (strandings & dead animals)

📞 0800 652 0333 – CSIP (cetaceans)

📞 0300 1234 999 – RSPCA (birds/other wildlife)

📞 999 – emergencies

📞 101 – non-emergency reporting

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