Marine Animal Response Society

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Marine Animal Response Society

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The Marine Animal Response Society (MARS) is a charitable organization dedicated to marine animal conservation in the Maritimes.

MARS is a Canadian conservation organization and registered charity dedicated to protecting marine life, advancing ocean health, and empowering communities to make a difference across the Maritimes. The society, formerly known as the Nova Scotia Stranding Network, was established by a group of volunteers in 1990 to monitor and respond to strandings and incidental catches of marine mammals. Marine mammals (whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals and walrus) are a vital component to the marine ecosystem. In the Maritimes there are at least 20 species of marine mammals found in our waters seasonally or year-round.

10/27/2026

🐋 A Big Milestone for the MARS Lab!

Last week, our team reached an exciting milestone: conducting the largest marine animal necropsy to date at the MARS Lab!

On October 21, a young female pilot whale was found dead near Chéticamp, Nova Scotia. Measuring 14 feet, 9 inches (4.5 metres) long, she presented both an important scientific opportunity and a significant logistical challenge.

Typically, an animal of this size might be examined where it was found. But with several factors to consider — including location, weather conditions and available disposal options — our team made the decision to transport the whale to our dedicated necropsy facility in Seaforth, NS.

The MARS Lab was designed and equipped to accommodate animals of this size, but until now, we hadn't had the opportunity to put that capacity to the test!

This was an important learning experience for our team, allowing us to test and refine the practical aspects of working with a larger animal in the Lab, while also conducting a thorough scientific investigation.

Although the final cause of death won't be determined until diagnostic testing is complete, the whale was noticeably thin and appeared to be in poor health. The investigation will help us better understand what may have contributed to her death.

A huge thank you to the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources for their invaluable assistance recovering the whale from the beach and coordinating its transfer onto the MARS trailer, and to our dedicated MARS volunteers who contributed their time and expertise throughout the response and investigation. It was a tremendous team effort!

Every animal we investigate provides an opportunity to learn — not only about the animals themselves, but also about how we can continue to strengthen our response and investigation capabilities.

An important milestone for the MARS Lab, and another step forward in our ability to investigate marine animal deaths across the Maritimes. 🐋

📷 Photos: MARS (1, 3, 4, 5, 6); C & A Peterson (2)

10/20/2026

🐋 Five Animals. Four Species. Three Provinces. Less Than Three Weeks.

It's been an incredibly busy few weeks for the MARS response team!

Since September 30, we've been involved in recovering five marine animals found dead across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island — all for scientific investigation to better understand them and their cause of death.

And these are just the animals recovered for necropsy. Our hotline and response teams have been managing many other reports and incidents across the Maritimes at the same time.

Here's a snapshot of some of our recent investigations:

🦈 A young female porbeagle shark from Greenwich, NS

🐋 A young pilot whale from Margaree Harbour, NS

🐬 Two Atlantic white-sided dolphins from Judique, NS, and Cape Egmont, PEI

🐬 A harbour porpoise from Saint John, NB

All five animals were reported quickly and found in good condition, giving our team and colleagues an important opportunity to investigate what may have caused their deaths.

Three necropsies have been completed, with two more planned. While no obvious causes of death have been identified so far, samples collected during these investigations will undergo further analysis to help us better understand what happened.

Why does this matter?

Every animal recovered provides an opportunity to learn more about the health of marine wildlife and the threats they face. But these investigations are only possible when animals are reported promptly and our team can mobilize quickly.

This work also depends on collaboration. We're grateful to our volunteers for assisting with these incidents and our partners with PEI Fish & Wildlife and the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative at the Atlantic Veterinary College - AVC who collected and conducted the necropsy of the Atlantic white-sided dolphin in PEI. Funding for this work is supported by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk program.

💙 Thank you to everyone who reports marine animals in need. Your calls help make this work possible!

📞 Report marine animals in distress or found dead: 1-866-567-6277

📷 Photos: MARS (1, 3, 5); Susan Feltham (2); Jack Forsyth (4)

10/16/2026

🐋 Building stronger marine animal response networks, together!

What a fantastic few days of learning, collaboration and hands-on training in PEI!

We were thrilled to work with the Mi'kmaq Confederacy of PEI and community members from Abegweit First Nation and Lennox Island First Nation to build skills and confidence in responding to marine animals in distress.

This training is part of MARS' ongoing efforts to develop community-based marine animal response support across the Maritimes. By bringing together local knowledge, dedicated community members and specialized response training, we're building stronger networks and greater capacity to help marine animals when and where they need it.

A huge thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this such a positive experience. We're excited to keep building on this partnership!

This initiative is supported through funding from Fisheries and Oceans Canada under the Habitat Stewardship Program.

09/28/2026

Why do we do this work?

Because every marine animal deserves to live free from harm.

Because healthy oceans depend on healthy wildlife.

Because conservation depends on evidence.

And because every response gives us an opportunity to better understand the world beneath the waves.

That's what drives MARS every single day.

Protecting Marine Life. Advancing Ocean Health. Empowering Communities.

Photo credit ©MARS

09/27/2026

What we learn doesn't stay at MARS.

Information gathered through marine animal response can contribute to research, inform conservation efforts, and help us and our partners better understand what's happening in our oceans.

Sometimes, a single investigation raises a new question. Other times, patterns across hundreds of responses help identify threats or changes that deserve a closer look.

Collaboration is an important part of that process. We use what we learn through our own responses and investigations, while also bringing together data, research and expertise from others. Together, those pieces can build a much fuller picture of marine animal health and the threats these animals face.

Knowledge creates greater impact when we put it to work.

Photo credit ©MARS

09/26/2026

Marine animal response is much more than arriving at the scene.

We prepare.
We assess.
We coordinate.
We document.
We investigate.
We ask questions.
We collaborate.
We look for patterns.
We share what we learn.

Because every response is part of something much larger: building the knowledge needed to protect marine life.

Response. Investigation. Knowledge. Conservation.

Photo credit ©L. Coolen

09/24/2026

Effective conservation starts with good evidence.

Protecting marine animals requires answering difficult questions.

Questions like:
How are human activities affecting the health of these species?
Are diseases changing?
Which conservation actions are working?

Decisions shouldn't rely on assumptions. They should be informed by reliable evidence gathered through careful response and investigation.

That's one reason why every response matters.

Better evidence leads to better conservation.

Photo credit ©MARS

09/23/2026

A scar tells a story.

A stomach reveals what an animal has eaten.

Blood can indicate disease.

Skin may contain evidence of contaminants.

Bones record injuries from years ago.

Every investigation helps us piece together what happened—and what it might mean for the health of marine animals across our region.

Nature leaves clues. Science helps us understand them.

Photo credit ©MARS

09/22/2026

Sometimes the most important answers come after an animal has died.

One of the hardest parts of our work is knowing we can't save every animal.

But every animal still matters.

Through careful examinations, sampling, and necropsies, we can better understand disease, injuries, human-caused threats, and impacts from climate change.

Those answers may help protect countless others in the future.

Even when a life can't be saved, it can still make a lasting contribution to conservation.

Photo credit ©MARS

09/20/2026

Science isn't built on one observation.

One stranded whale doesn't tell us why strandings happen.

One entangled humpback can't explain every fishing interaction.

One sick seal won't reveal every emerging disease.

But examining these animals or events over time?

Thousands of carefully documented responses over many years begin to reveal patterns that would otherwise remain invisible.

Every investigation adds another piece to the picture.

No single investigation tells the whole story—but every one helps build it.

Photo credit ©MARS

Address

Halifax, NS

Telephone

+18665676277

Website

http://www.marineanimals.ca/

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