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.

The Wildlife Trusts

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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