Posts Tagged ‘Suzanne Thurman’
MERR Rescues Sea Turtle Snagged by Fishing Hook
Suzanne Thurman from the MERR Institute says her organization helped save this Kemp’s ridley sea turtle in Slaughter Beach who got caught by a fishing hook last week. The fisherman took the turtle to the Dupont Nature Center which got in touch with MERR. The turtle actually ingested the hook, so it required surgery for removal which was performed…
Read MoreMERR Investigates 6 Sea Turtle Deaths in Past Week
Suzanne Thurman from the MERR Institute says her organization investigated six dead sea turtles this past week. Four were loggerheads and two were Kemps Ridley’s. One loggerhead had been tagged on Jekyll Island, Georgia while nesting. Three of the turtles had evidence of boat propeller injuries, one of a boat strike, one of a dredge and the…
Read MoreTroubling Dolphin Deaths
Suzanne Thurman of the MERR Institute says her organization has investigated five dolphin deaths in the past few days. Four were calves and one was a sub-adult. Rehoboth Beach Patrol guards found this one around 7 a.m. off Queen Street on Saturday. Photo courtesy Capt. Jeffrey Giles, Rehoboth Beach Patrol The others were found at Broadkill, Lewes, Cape…
Read More4 Sea Turtles Killed by Suspected Boat Propeller Strikes
Last week’s rough surf may have been the reason the MERR Institute had more than the usual number of sea turtle responses. Suzanne Thurman, MERR executive director, says her organization investigated the deaths of three loggerheads and two Kemp’s ridleys. All were located on the Delaware Bay between Prime Hook and Pickering beaches. Four, she says, like the one…
Read MoreUPDATED: Fin Whale Dies in Delaware Bay off Cape Henlopen, Officials Investigate and Bury Carcass
UPDATED 8/29/21 – Despite best efforts to assist the 57’ young male fin whale that stranded on a sandbar on thebayside of the Point at Cape Henlopen State Park, the whale ultimately beached itself for thefinal time on the oceanside of the Point on the evening of Thursday, August 26th. The whaledied on its own…
Read MoreRare Endangered Sea Turtle Rescued At Fenwick Island
A rare endangered juvenile Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle has been rescued in Fenwick Island. The MERR Institute received a call Thursday from residents at Keenwick on the Bay who discovered the injured turtle. The turtle had been waving its flipper toward its head, where there was a wound. MERR personnel brought the turtle to its…
Read MoreMERR Investigates 4 Dolphin and 3 Sea Turtle Deaths
It’s been a busy week for MERR Institute volunteers. Suzanne Thurman, executive director, says her organization has investigated the deaths of four bottlenose dolphins and two loggerhead sea turtles last week. This is one of the loggerheads which was discovered early Sunday in Dewey’s surf by Tony Crivella of Dewey Beach Beautification & Raking. Thurman said this loggerhead…
Read MoreDead Dolphin Washes to Shore off Rehoboth Avenue
One of several dolphin deaths investigated by the MERR Institute this past week. The remains of a dolphin calf came ashore around 4:15 p.m. this past Saturday just south of Rehoboth Avenue. Suzanne Thurman, executive director of the MERR Institute, said the calf was “Fairly decomposed so some of the clues were obliterated. It had some…
Read MoreGovernor Signs Bill at Rehoboth Bandstand Protecting Delaware from Offshore Drilling
Governor John Carney joined state and local officials, tourism, marine, fishing, and environmental advocates at the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand today to sign two pieces of legislation aimed at protecting Delaware’s coastline and coastal economy from offshore drilling. “An oil spill of some sort could negatively impact the fragile tidal wetlands and ocean beaches, and habitat…
Read More11 Dead Dolphins in Past 12 Days
As of Memorial Day, Suzanne Thurman, MERR Institute executive director, says her organization has investigated the deaths of 11 dolphins in the past 12 days. “It is an uptick,” she said. “A few calves which is typical for this time of year, but that’s a lot of adults,” she pointed out. One of the 11…
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