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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How will the NMLC operate? When the NMLC is operational, annual revenues will come from a small visitor admission fee, net on a retail operation, memberships, grants for education programs and research, and fund-raising. When will the facility be able to receive animals? Timing is dependent upon fund-raising. The NMLC Board of Trustees is engaged in three fund-raising strategies to raise the money needed to meet renovation costs, including creating pools and salt-water circulation systems for the animals; fund-raising expenses; and the costs of creating the marine animal discovery center. The strategies include a campaign for private funds from individuals, foundations, and businesses; seeking grants from public agencies, such as economic development; and working with a bank or consortium of banks to develop a financing package that would include a tax exempt bond or tax credit financing. Architects have completed the construction documents. The permit process has begun. Almost half of both the private funds and the public funds have been committed and discussions have started with banks and other financing organizations. What are the economic and community development benefits of this project? A commissioned market study reports that the economic development potential for the marine life center centers around new full-time jobs, staff purchases of goods and services from local vendors, increased tourism spending, and construction jobs. The Selectmen of the Town of Bourne, in inviting the NMLC to locate in Buzzards Bay, believe that a viable NMLC is a critical factor in revitalizing downtown Buzzards Bay. They cite increased visitor revenues and new year-round jobs. There is also a job training component in the extensive volunteer program that will help operate the renovated facility. The market study also notes that the center would attract new visitors to the Town who would purchase lodging, meals, gifts, and gasoline. Operations of new businesses and/or marine related facilities that would be attracted to the area would generate additional expenditures in the local economy. "It would add a destination for shoulder (fall and spring) and winter periods, and add an additional activity for the summer months, particularly during inclement weather . . . a major stimulus to tourism revenues, making a significant contribution to Cape Cod's tourism economy while educating, inspiring, and entertaining both its residents and visitors." In summary, the following benefits are cited: What is the Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release Process? The rescue of stranded marine animals involves three steps: Beach rescue is a coordinated operation involving volunteers and staff of the stranding network organization and animal welfare groups, technical specialists, private citizens, municipalities, and scientific institutions. In the Cape Cod region, marine mammals (whales, dolphins, porpoises and seals) are the responsibility of the Cape Cod Stranding Network. Marine turtle rescue is coordinated by the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. On the beach, a decision-making process determines the animals'
fate: Animals are transported by private vehicles, military aircraft or ships, or government fisheries vessels. Medical care and pre-release rehabilitation will take place
at the National Marine Life Center. Upon arrival an animal will
be placed in the critical care facility for initial evaluation.
At the NMLC, many of these settings, with appropriate construction (e.g. sound-proofing, one?way glass, differential lighting), will be visible to the public. Part of the visitor experience will be discussions with the volunteer care-givers about the animals' stranding circumstances, medical record and progress, and current treatment. In the final stage of rehabilitation, the pre-release period, animals prepare for release by re?gaining their skills for survival in the wild. At the NMLC, these pre?release environments will be accessible to the public with appropriate construction: sound-proofing, differential lighting. Release requires careful planning to provide the best conditions for the animal's re-introduction to its ocean environment. When animals are ready for release, they are transported by public or private ships to the release site, tagged with a radio telemetry package, returned to the wild, and electronically monitored for a period of time. Through a satellite link, information on the animals' surface behavior, movements, and diving patterns will be transmitted to the NMLC where the information will be displayed for visitor viewing, either on site or through a Web page.
Seals (Pinnipeds) Following the general pattern of mortality, first-year pups are the most likely to strand. Most come ashore during the nursing period or soon after, particularly when that activity is interrupted by storms or other disturbances. For true seals (Phocidae, e.g. harbor seals, grey seals), this nursing period is brief; maternally dependent pups appear over the course of only a few days or weeks. The frequency of pup strandings tapers off after weaning, through a phase where individuals may appear with residual illnesses stemming from their early days in the rookery. Juveniles and adults come ashore for a myriad of reasons, with little predictable pattern, except for increased strandings that are associated with a fleeting incident such as a storm, or something that signals the onset of an epidemic or toxic event. Turtles Some marine turtles are caught in dredging gear. Others are hit
by ships or cut by ship propellers. Stranding patterns are not quite as evident for deep water species, although correlations with locations, tides, storms, geomagnetic disturbances and other factors have been proposed. Some species follow the inshore migration of prey. Long-finned pilot whales, for example, pursue squid into shallow waters of Cape Cod Bay during the autumn and early winter and can be expected to strand during these seasons. These events also correlate somewhat with storms that combine with monthly peak tides. Animals that strand in a cluster over a period of a few days may be victims of poisoning, infectious disease, intensive local fisheries operations, or unusual environmental events. These episodes can be of such short duration that the ultimate cause may no longer be evident by the time an investigating team takes action. The mother/calf bond is strong and may remain so long after the end of lactation. Consequently, if both come ashore, it may be impossible to determine which led the way. Young males of some social species may appear alone at predictable times of year. For example, juvenile white-sided dolphins strand along the northeast coast during the fall, suggesting they may have been lost or displaced from a bachelor group. There is evidence that yearling bottlenose dolphins come ashore alone after being displaced from the herd during the breeding season. What species will the NMLC be able to accommodate?
With eight pools of varying capacities, the future NMLC will be able to care for several species simultaneously. How long would an animal stay at the NMLC? Most stranded cetaceans usually require eight to twelve months
of care before they can be released. If one belongs to a 'social'
species (e.g. white-sided dolphins, pilot whales), its release must
coincide with the presence of its cohort group in the region, possibly
extending its time in residence an additional six months or more. |
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