British Divers Marine Life Rescue
British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) was formed in 1988, when a few like-minded divers got together in response to a mass mortality of common seals in the Wash area of East Anglia, to do what they could for the rescue effort in response to the Phocine Distemper Virus epidemic that resulted in thousands of deaths.
Since 1988, BDMLR has been involved in the rescue of marine wildlife after every major marine disaster, including the Braer shipwreck in Shetland, the Sea Empress grounding in Milford Haven, and the Napoli shipwreck in Dorset.
Seal rescue has remained a major component of the BDMLR’s work, with medics rescuing animals in all seasons around the UK.
Every year, BDMLR trains over 1000 volunteer Marine Mammal Medics and has 20 whale rescue pontoons located at strategic points throughout the UK, waiting to help stranded whales and dolphins. Medics are trained to provide them with the basic knowledge, skills and expertise to enable our volunteer teams to respond to a callout and act on behalf of that animal’s best welfare interests.
BDMLR’S MISSION
BDMLR is a frontline response charity for marine mammals in distress around the UK with volunteer Medics trained in health assessment, first aid and rescue techniques.
BDMLR responds callouts it receives when necessary – whether that is simply advising over the phone about a seal reported by a concerned member of the public to a full blown environmental disaster such as an oil spill. The charity has Medics and various pieces of specialised equipment located around the UK coast and works with rehabilitation centres and experts in many fields of animal rescue, rehabilitation, science and welfare.
“Our legacy is to create a world that is safer and cleaner for our wildlife to live in.”
Image Credit: Gavin Parsons
Our main goal is to care and provide for the welfare of marine mammals that are in need of help around the UK. We are actively involved with a number of research projects, educational initiatives and conservation projects often in collaboration with partner organisations to achieve these goals. Current issues are around disturbance to wildlife from human activity, climate change, disease monitoring, entanglement and out of habitat marine mammals (e.g.: walruses).
ANIMAL HOTLINES
If you see a seal that may be abandoned, thin, ill or injured, then call for advice and assistance or if you find a stranded dolphin, porpoise or whale immediately call BDMLR’s Rescue Hotline:
BDMLR RESCUE HOTLINE:
01825 765546 (24hr)
or
RSPCA hotline (England & Wales): 0300 1234 999
SSPCA hotline (Scotland): 03000 999 999
Should you find a dead dolphin or whale, the Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP – covering England and Wales) and Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme (SMASS – covering Scotland) collects a wide range of data on each stranding found on UK shores. If you discover a dead animal, please contact the CSIP/SMASS hotline:
CSIP (England and Wales) hotline: 0800 6520333.
SMASS (Scotland) hotline: 07979 245893.
BDMLR’S INSPIRATION
In 1988 an epidemic of Phocine Distemper Virus ravaged the common seal population in northern Europe, motivating a group of divers to come together to assist with casualty recovery alongside the RSPCA. Our primary aim continues today in providing that critically essential role nationwide that no other organisation is currently able to fill.
What would you change in the world?
To have global Governments and large multinational corporations that take climate change far more seriously and proactively in their efforts to tackle.
support bdmlr
Support the work of British Divers Marine Life Rescue to help continue the rescue, release and rehabilitation work with marine wildlife.
Image Credit: Lynn Young
