The number of whales, dolphins and porpoises washing up on the shores of the United Kingdom has been steadily increasing, prompting a leading marine wildlife charity to recruit more volunteers to respond to emergency rescue situations.
The British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), an organisation dedicated to the protection and rescue of marine mammals, says additional volunteers are urgently needed to assess stranded animals, provide emergency first aid and assist in refloating them back into the sea.
According to BDMLR’s director of welfare and conservation, Dan Jarvis, the charity has witnessed a clear rise in strandings across the country in recent years. The growing demand for rescue teams has placed increased pressure on the organisation’s volunteer network.
“There is a general upward increase in recent years of strandings around the UK, and we’re also getting busier, particularly after winter storms,” Jarvis said.
Data collected by BDMLR highlights the trend. In 2018, the organisation recorded about 22 incidents involving live stranded marine mammals. By 2025, that number had more than doubled to 46 cases.
The figures refer to separate incidents, some of which involved multiple animals stranding at the same time. In 2023 and 2024, the total number of cetacean strandings — including whales, dolphins and porpoises — peaked in the 60s each year.
Experts believe several factors could be contributing to the increase. Human-related hazards such as fishing gear and marine pollution may play a role, while higher prey availability in coastal waters could also be drawing animals closer to shore.
Growing public awareness may also explain why more strandings are being reported, as people are more likely to alert authorities when they encounter distressed marine mammals.
While strandings occur around the entire UK coastline, some areas see significantly more incidents than others. Cornwall, for example, remains one of the busiest regions for rescue callouts.
Jarvis explained that even in quieter coastal areas, having trained volunteers nearby is essential because emergencies can happen unexpectedly.
“Cornwall is very busy with the volume of callouts, but there are also other parts of the country where we don’t get many incidents — and we also have very few volunteers,” he said.
“When something does happen there, it’s still important for us to have enough local resources and equipment to respond quickly.” To strengthen its response capacity, BDMLR runs specialised training sessions that teach volunteers how to safely handle and refloat stranded marine mammals.
Whales present the most difficult challenges due to their size and weight. To prepare volunteers for such scenarios, training courses include the use of a life-sized, two-tonne inflatable pilot whale replica filled with air and water.
The model allows recruits to practise manoeuvring the animal onto a rescue mat, attaching inflatable pontoons and carefully guiding it into deeper water. The process can take several hours, requiring coordinated teamwork to gradually restore the animal’s muscle movement and blood circulation before it swims away.
BDMLR’s volunteer base has grown significantly over the past decade. Around eight years ago, the organisation had roughly 2,000 volunteers, but that number has since risen to nearly 3,500.
Despite this progress, some coastal regions still lack enough trained responders to deal with emergencies quickly.
New volunteers must complete the charity’s Marine Mammal Medic Course, which costs £150. After completing the training, participants are added to a national callout register and may be contacted whenever a stranding occurs nearby.
Cat Douglas, a youth work manager who recently completed training in Newquay, said she wanted to ensure she could help effectively if she encountered a stranded animal.
“I wanted to make sure I could be a support rather than a hindrance,” she said. Police officer James Merrikin, who also took part in the course, said the experience offered a welcome change from his usual duties.
“I’m normally used to doing crowd management at strandings,” he said. “It was nice not having whatever I’m trying to help potentially attack me.” Beyond whales and dolphins, volunteers also learn techniques for assisting injured seals and stranded seal pups.
BDMLR’s head veterinary consultant, Natalie Arrow, emphasised that safety training is an essential part of the programme. Marine mammals can carry zoonotic diseases that may spread to humans, meaning protective clothing and careful handling procedures are required.
Seal pups can also bite, making safe rescue techniques especially important. The charity is also urging members of the public to avoid direct intervention if they encounter a stranded animal.
Instead of attempting to push the animal back into the water, which can cause serious injuries, people should contact BDMLR immediately. Witnesses are advised to keep crowds and dogs away, reduce noise and help keep the animal cool and moist without allowing water to enter its blowhole.
Although rescues can be stressful and uncertain, Jarvis said the reward of seeing a recovered animal swim away makes the effort worthwhile. “When we refloat an animal, we’re assessing it in the water for the first time,” he said. “Seeing it swim off strongly is exhilarating — it means it has a good chance.”
