Love the Beach, Respect the Ocean is offering the resources necessary if one happens to stumble across stranded wildlife across the Outer Banks. The most important thing to do is keep a respectful distance, and report the sighting to the following authorities to seek assistance:
If you happen upon the scene of a marine mammal beaching such as a dolphin or whale, please call the Outer Banks Marine Mammal Stranding Network hotline at 252-455-9654.
If you find a sea turtle nest or an injured sea turtle, please report it to the Network for Endangered Sea Turtles (N.E.S.T.) at 252-441-8622.
If you find an injured, orphaned or diseased land mammal, you can call Outer Banks Wild Care at 252-995-4793.
If you find an injured or orphaned bird, please contact Hatteras Island Wildlife Rehabilitation at 252-475-4217.
A common bird here on the Outer Banks, our loons, are often reported as stranded on the beach, but they are usually just resting. Loons do not have feet that allow them to walk on land so they rely on the ocean’s tide to carry them back to the sea. On land, they may appear to be injured, but most of the time they are just doing the “loon walk”!