Signals from the Shore: What Cetacean Strandings Reveal About Pollution

What can strandings of dolphins, whales and porpoises tell us about the impact of marine pollution?

This event will take place in person at ZSL's Huxley Lecture Theatre, and online via Zoom.

Pollution is a major driver of environmental harm, affecting ecosystems in ways that are often invisible, complex, and cumulative. In the marine environment, threats range from toxic chemicals and underwater noise to physical impacts from plastic debris, all of which have the potential to disrupt biological systems, impair reproduction, and compromise immune functions in species like cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises). Gaining a deeper understanding of how these pressures affect cetaceans in the long term is vital for effective conservation.

This event, hosted in collaboration with the Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP), brings together experts to explore three major forms of marine pollution in our waters: chemical, acoustic, and physical.

Drawing on decades of real-world strandings data and cutting-edge research, speakers will examine how pollutants impact the health, behaviour, and survival of cetaceans. Talks will cover topics ranging from the impacts of chemical contaminants on health, to characterising the threat from underwater noise, and reviewing the impacts of marine plastic debris through entanglement or ingestion.

The event will conclude with a closing talk that weaves together these themes, offering a broader reflection on these threats and how cross-disciplinary science can inform effective action to protect marine life. Through case studies and interactive discussion, speakers will examine what the future could hold for marine biodiversity in our seas.

Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme

The ZSL-led Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) coordinates the investigation of all cetaceans, seals, marine turtles and some shark species that strand around the English and Welsh coastline. It is co-funded by Defra and the Welsh Government. Since the inception of the CSIP in 1990, it has recorded data on nearly 15,500 stranded cetaceans and conducted over 3,200 cetacean necropsies, producing one of the world’s largest research datasets on strandings and causes of mortality.

CSIP partner organisations are Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the Natural History Museum (NHM), Marine Environmental Monitoring (MEM), Cornwall Wildlife Trust Marine Strandings Network (CWTMSN) and Cornwall Marine Pathology Team (CMPT).

Speakers

• Dr Rosie Williams, Postdoctoral Research Assistant, Institute of Zoology, ZSL
• Dr Sarah Nelms, Senior Lecturer, University of Exeter
• Nikki Taylor, Marine Species Advisor, Joint Nature Conservation Committee
• Dr Frances Gulland, Chair, US Marine Mammal Commission

This event will be chaired by Rob Deaville, CSIP Project Manager, ZSL.

Find out more about the event and other future events here.

Attending this event

• This Science and Conservation Event is free to attend but registration is required so we can monitor event numbers.
• The event will feature talks from the speakers, followed by a Q&A discussion panel. It will run from 6:00pm - 7:30pm, and doors will open at 5:30pm.
• In-person seats are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Venue: Huxley Lecture Theatre at the Meeting Rooms of the Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, NW1 4RY. Nearest underground: Camden Town Station; Nearest bus: no. 274.
• Online meeting: This event will additionally be held over Zoom. Details will be sent to all guests who register to attend online ahead of time.
• Recording disclaimer: The presentations and Q&A session will be recorded, and the recording published on our Science and Conservation YouTube channel afterwards. Please be aware that by attending this event you consent to be filmed or your voice to be recorded during the Q&A session, which will be included in the published video.

Further Information

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