Number of stranding and rate of starnding of marine mammals along Indian coast during 1800 to 2016

... number of stranding records was only 21 during the period 1800 to 1889 ( Fig.1; Table 1) while it increased to 243 in the succeeding century and during the 16 years since 2000, 115 stranding have been reported. ...

... stranding rate which was low, 0.2 per year (ie. one stranding in every 5 year) increased to 2.4 per year in 20 th century and currently the rate is 7.2 per year ( Fig.1). This is alarming and urgent measures have to be taken to prevent and control this. ...

... first stranding report from Gujarat was that of a blue whale in 1939 and there are 33 records of 9 species of which dugong stranding is highest followed by blue whale and Indo Pacific humpback dolphin (Fig 11). Gujarat is one of the states which have dugongs and efforts should be made to conserve and build this stock and assess the health of sea grass beds. ...

... Maharashtra coast about 22 stranding records of 10 different species have been reported of which the highest is that of Fin whale (7 NOS) (Fig 12) and the first record of 19 th century on stranding was that of Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin, Sousa plumbea in 1800 (Table1 ). ...

... Goa coast strandings have been low, only 8 nos. of which Fin whale was the highest, followed by Indo Pacific humpback dolphin (3 nos.) and long beaked common dolphin (Fig. 13). These were the only three species reported so far. The first report was in 1968 and the last in ...

... first stranding report in Karnataka was that of the Blue whale, Balaenopteramusculus in 1874. About 22 stranding of 10 species have been reported including 4 out of the five baleen whales (Fig 14). Comparatively higher stranding of finless porpoise was recorded along Karnataka and Kerala than other states. ...

... first records were in 1827 with reports of Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin Sousa plumbeaand Finless Porpoise Neophocaena phocaenoides being stranded along the Malabar Coast of Kerala. The coast has reports of 16 records of baleen whales (Fig.15). The comparatively higher small pelagic resources and plankton blooms due to the upwelling may be the reason for these resources to move towards the coast. ...

... first stranding report from Tamil Nadu was that of Neophocaena phocaenoides in 1866 off Chennai coast. With a rich diversity of marine mammals (20 species), Tamil Nadu tops all the states in reporting stranding of marine mammals, with 159 records including all species of baleen whales reported along Indian coast, sea cow, porpoise, 3 species of toothed whales and 10 species of dolphins (Fig.16). This coast has witnessed some of the rare mass stranding records of Short finned pilot whales along the Indian coast. ...

... earliest record of stranding was that of Irrawaddy Dolphin, Orcaella brevirostris in 1852 followed by dwarf Sperm Whale Kogia simus, 1853 and Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin, Sousaplumbea in 1854. The stranding were lower,compared to Tamil Nadu and consisted of 10 species (Fig 17). ...

... Orissa coast, the number of stranding reports are low, comprising 5 species and the first report was in 1983 on the Indo Pacific humpback dolphin, Sousa plumbea. Only one baleen whale, 3 species of dolphins and one finless porpoise have been reported (Fig.18). No records of toothed whales reported here. ...

... first stranding report was that of Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin, Tursiops aduncus in 1848 followed by that of Short-finned Pilot Whale Globicephala macrorhynchus in 1852. A total of 9 stranding of 4 species of baleen whales and 3 species of dolphins have been reported (Fig.19). No records of toothed whales and porpoises and sea cows. ...

... noof stranding reports are very low, 8 nos. and the most common was that of sperm whale (6nos) followed by Brydes whale and Cuviers beaked whale (Fig 21). There are no reports of dolphins, porpoises and sea cows. ...

... interactive web map developed could be hosted in the web and on hovering the mouse over the stranding locations, a window will pop-up and give the details of the species stranded including the common name, scientific name, stranding location, state, year of stranding the reference (Plate 1 and 2). The web page also contains the identification keys of the marine mammal (Plate 3). ...