Ashley Stokes | Marine Mammal Rescue Manager
On September 6-9, 2016, Marine Mammal Rescue Assistant Sarah Toupin and I attended the National Marine Animal Health and Stranding Network Conference in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. This conference, attended by organizations that do marine mammal rescue work throughout the United States, is only held about once every five years.
This was our first time attending this conference and we learned a lot! With 250+ people in attendance, and many different topics to cover, it was an intensive week. We saw many presentations on marine mammal health and response around the country, participated in a field simulation oil spill response drill with marine mammal models (not live animals) in need of rescue, networked with many colleagues from coastal U.S. who also work in the marine mammal rescue field, and got to participate in manatee and common dolphin necropsies. We look forward to the the next National Marine Animal Health and Stranding Network Conference!
MMR Manager Ashley Stokes
MMR Assistant Sarah Toupin
