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ORRCA

Phone: 02 9415 3333

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25.01.2022 WE LEARN FROM EVERY INCIDENT. There is always so much is learn from every marine mammal rescue incident. While we may never know what caused this large family pod to mass strand last week, let's hope some of the new techniques and methods used by the brave rescue teams will help many whales and dolphins into the future. ... The pathology conducted on the whales that didn't make it will also be a valuable opportunity for the scientific community to discover new insights and possible theories on why these whales strand. Such an incredible outcome by a courageous team of people. The learning continues, and some lives will be changed for ever after experiencing this amazing rescue incident!

25.01.2022 TODAY is GivingTuesday! On this worldwide day of giving and in honour of our 35th Anniversary, we would like you to consider supporting ORRCA. Since 1985, we have been the only all volunteer run organisation in Australia licensed to be involved in marine mammal rescue, rehabilitation, and release. ... Our team relies on the generous support of our donors to run our 24/7 Rescue Hotline needed to respond to unique marine wildlife incidents and emergencies. Today, you can help us continue with our mission: ORRCA, for the Rescue, Conservation, Protection and Welfare of Whales, Dolphins, Seals and Dugongs. Your GivingTuesday donation will help ORRCA to continue to provide our communities with the emergency response teams and equipment our marine wildlife deserves. IMPORTANT: Please report any injured, entangled or stranded whales, dolphins, seals or dugongs into the ORRCA Rescue Hotline on 02 9415 3333. From our volunteer team to you, THANK YOU for your support! #GivingTuesday #givingtuesday2020

23.01.2022 ACTION NEEDED. Please read and make your opinion count. You're invited to provide your views and supporting reasons in relation to the eligibility of Megaptera novaeangliae, the Humpback whale, for removal from the threatened species list under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).... FEEL FREE TO SHARE FAR AND WIDE. http://www.environment.gov.au//com/megaptera-novaeangliae

23.01.2022 TESTING...Are we up? If you can see this post, please let us know.TESTING...Are we up? If you can see this post, please let us know.

22.01.2022 We are back up! Thanks a million Facebook!We are back up! Thanks a million Facebook!

21.01.2022 FUR SEALS ARE ACTIVE and ABOUT RIGHT NOW! One observation you might see along our coastline this Spring is a seal flipper or two in the air! This is a completely normal behaviour for fur seals. Putting it simply, seals have the amazing ability to regulate their body temperature by elevating a flipper and using the breeze or the sun to cool or warm their body temperature as needed. ... If you observe a flipper in the air along your coastal waterway, usually, it is a seal. This behaviour is called ‘Thermoregulating’ and they can do this on land or in the water, sometimes for hours! If you observe this behaviour, enjoy the moment as its completely normal. However, if you have any concerns for the seals wellbeing, if you think it may be entangled in marine debris or if it is being harassed, please call the our team on the ORRCA Rescue Hotline on 02 9415 3333. ~ please share far and wide. ~

21.01.2022 WE NEED YOUR HELP! Lucky the dolphin which has an entanglement around her dorsal fin has been resighted again today! She was last seen this morning heading back out into the main channel of the Hastings River!... If you see this dolphin please call the ORRCA rescue line on 9415 3333 and please get a photo or video also GPS location, importantly please don't approach her, you must stay a minimum of 300m away at all times! Thank You! Photos courtesy of Jodie Lowe, ORRCA member.

20.01.2022 LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO THIS SPRING? With a successful northern migration complete, the whales are now slowing heading south from the warm tropical waters on their southern migration. The ORRCA Research Team are super excited to start a new citizen science program in October with the aim of recording the Humpback mums with new calves as they make their way down our coastline on their journey back to Antarctica. ... If you would like to join one of our research teams, simply become an ORRCA member via our website and email the team at [email protected] for more information. No experience is necessary. Just a passion and some patience! We would also open to additional locations if we have the volunteers to support it!

20.01.2022 WE NEED YOUR HELP - Tuesday 8th September 2020 The ORRCA Rescue team have had a confirmed sighting of an entangled Southern right whale, with a calf, resting in the Tuross Head area on the south coast. Latest details:- Monday afternoon...... Sighting: Tuross Head, South Coast, NSW. Details: mum and calf were heading south Observation: the mother whale was possibly entangled with a buoy or debris attached trailing behind it. We hope to have ORRCA members out at various vantage points and headlands trying to track this whale today, weather permitting. If you are out along the coastline in this area in the coming days, please keep an eye out. If you see these whales, please call the ORRCA Rescue Hotline asap on 02 9415 3333. Please try to get a photo or video to confirm the entanglement plus a GPS location. Importantly, please don't approach these whales. Whales are protected in Australian waters. You must stay at least 100m away at all times, 300m if they have a calf. If the animal is entangled a 500m exclusion zone applies. Marie Jackson

20.01.2022 PLEASE SHARE FAR & WIDE! More details to come in the coming days! 2020 submission by Milla Bouveng Acrylic on canvas, 12 years and under.

19.01.2022 BEING A VOLUNTEER WILDLIFE RESCUER CAN BE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY CHALLENGING. This new webpage shares lots of reflections, and has been designed for our sector to dip in and out of as you need. Starting with a tiny step of self-care is better than none.

19.01.2022 SPRING has ARRIVED! As we move through the change of seasons, and into the anything can happen time of year, the ORRCA Training Team are gearing up to the opening of our 2020/2021 Rescue Training season. To open, we will have our first Rescue Training Workshop in beautiful Batemans Bay, supporting the south coast post the devastating bush fires experienced last summer. ... For more dates and locations, please see our website. www.orrca.org.au Group numbers will be limited due to Covid restrictions.

19.01.2022 Wondering where all the whales are this year? A rare experience for a lucky few.

18.01.2022 ATTENTION ALL WILDLIFE CARERS! It's ARE YOU OK DAY? If you or anyone you know may be struggling .... please have a look at this webinar being offered by Two Green Threads in conjunction with the Wildlife Heroes Caring for Carers Campaign supported by the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife https://twogreenthreads.org/ruok-how-do-you-talk-to-someon/

18.01.2022 Congratulations to our newest graduates from the south coast of NSW. Welcome to Team ORRCA. Batemans Bay, we finally made it happen after fires and COVID. Thank you for your warm hospitality. Well done to the Training Team for their passion and determination. ... Another successful ORRCA Rescue Training day completed, and the first for our 2020/2021 season! See more

18.01.2022 Be Seal aware this season! LAND. BAYS. RIVERS. SEAS. OCEAN. ISLANDS Give these curious visitors space and respect, at least 40m. Importantly, all Seal species are protected in Australian Waters.

17.01.2022 Today is one of our most favourite days of the year! MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE DAY. Today, we celebrate ORRCA and all that ORRCA stands for! Our Committee who steers our organisation, our Rescue Training Team who engages us sharing years of knowledge and experience, our Rescue Hotline Team for keeping us safe when at incidents and supporting the community in times of distress with knowledge of wild, dangerous, and sometimes rare marine mammals, our many supporting members who he...lp fund our evolving rescue resources, and importantly our Licenced Trained Rescue Team! Our Rescue Team head out to support marine mammals in need in all conditions, 365 days a year. Some incidents are straight forward, simply providing a safe space for exhausted seals to rest. Others are life changing, multi-agency events that can be heart breaking and rewarding all at the same time. As we reflect on over 35 years of Marine Mammal Rescue, our crew around Australia are gearing up for a busy migration season as early sightings of young Humpbacks have already started coming through. In May we can expect those numbers to increase along with sightings of Minke whales heading north. June and July will be the peak of the Humpbacks northern migration and hopefully we will see a few rare Southern right whales visit our coastline and rest in our protected bays right through until Spring. Every moment shared with a marine mammal is a privilege to experience. We learn from every interaction and every challenge presented to ORRCAs Rescue Team. To ORRCAs hundreds of volunteer Rescue Trained Members around Australia's coastline, we say THANK YOU! Thank YOU for your time, passion and dedication to help, rescue and support, when and as needed, the marine mammals that visit our waters. Today is all about YOU! Want to learn more about ORRCAs Marine Mammal Rescue? Please visit our website and check out how you can get more involved. Would you like to join the ORRCA Rescue Team? After you become an ORRCA member, you can attend one of our ORRCA Rescue Training workshops where you learn all the skills and information to be able to join one of our Rescue Team Pods. Check out the details on our website. Are you in a position to support our Rescue Team? ORRCA relies on the generosity of people who care about marine mammals. All donations to ORRCA go directly to help support the ORRCA Rescue Hotline and our various Rescue Teams. Every donation you make of $2 or more is tax deductible.

15.01.2022 Something for our junior wildlife warriors to do over this chilly weekend!

15.01.2022 WE NEED YOUR HELP PLEASE - please share far and wide..... Friday 21st August 2020 The ORRCA Rescue team have had a confirmed sighting of an entangled Humpback this morning.... Latest details: Sighting: Off Port Macquarie, Mid North Coast, NSW. Details: Humpback heading south, approx 8m long Observation: this whale has red and white ropes attached. Ropes are around its pectoral fins. We have ORRCA members out at various vantage points and headlands tracking this whale as it heads south. If you are out along the NSW coastline in this area, from the Lighthouse in Port Macquarie to Port Stephens in the coming days, please keep an eye out. If you see this whale, please call the ORRCA Rescue Hotline asap on 02 9415 3333. Please try to get a photo or video to confirm the entanglement plus a GPS location. Importantly, please don't approach entangled whales. Whales are protected in Australian waters. You must stay at least 100m away at all times, 300m if they have a calf. If the animal is entangled a 500m exclusion zone applies. provided by ORRCA member J. Lowe

15.01.2022 Wishing you all the joy and merriment of the season, from our team to you and yours, THANK YOU for a year that we didn't foresee, couldn't have planned for, but got through together! May Hope, Peace, Sustainability and Kindness be the gifts this Christmas season. We are thinking of all of our good friends near and far, those in lockdown here or abroad, and those missing someone special this Christmas. Our thoughts are with you at this challenging time.... Please stay safe and we look forward to better times in 2021! by our valued and very clever member Karina Bodnaruk. Thank you!

14.01.2022 A SUCCESS STORY OFF SOUTH SYDNEY! Today, ORRCA joined the amazing teams from National Parks and Fisheries NSW (DPI) to help support the disentanglement of a young Humpback that had got caught in marine debris while heading south. The event unfolded off Wattamolla in the Royal National Park this morning. Disentanglement Crews worked together, strategically and carefully, to cut away the ropes and debris to ensure this whale could continue on its long journey. ... There were a few stressful moments, however once freed, the young whale quickly left the area, once again it was able to enjoy the rest of its 2020 migration! This is why we do what we do! Wonderful teamwork and the best outcome. IMPORTANT NOTE: Please report all entangled marine mammals into the ORRCA Rescue Hotline on 02 9415 3333. Never attempt a rescue. Marine mammals are protected in Australian waters. Rules and heavy fines apply. L. Pratt

14.01.2022 The ORRCA Rescue Training season is off to a great start after our courses earlier this year had to be cancelled due to Bushfires and then COVID. We are super excited to announce that the workshops planned for Spring/Summer 2020 are now FULL. Due to the overwhelming response we have also closed off our wait list. At this stage, we still have places in our Summer 2021 workshops so please get in early to avoid disappointment. ... A BIG thank you to all of those who have locked in a workshop so far, become a member, and who have made a generous donation over the past few months. THANK YOU. The ORRCA team very much appreciates all the support from communities across Australia and from its valued members, old and new! Our members are the heart of ORRCA and we exists because of your dedication and passion to help marine mammals come rain, hail or shine! THANK YOU for being part of an amazing team of volunteers.

14.01.2022 110 WHALE LIVES SAVED. Such wonderful news today from Tasmania. The best of humanity, brought together to help nature in such a dire moment in time. Against the odds, in challenging conditions, in a remote part of coastline, with unpredictable tides. ... Determination. Strength. Hope. Resilience. THANK YOU to everyone who worked so tirelessly, all week to achieve this amazing outcome.

14.01.2022 Just in, HAPPENING NOW... Our hearts are breaking...

14.01.2022 WE NEED YOUR HELP - further to our post on the 9th of September... Sunday 4th October 2020 The ORRCA Rescue team have had another confirmed sighting of the entangled Dolphin in the, Hastings River/Camden Haven River, and Port Macquarie region! ... Latest details:- Sunday afternoon... Sighting: Camden haven, mid north coast, NSW. Details: dolphin swimming in Stingray creek Observation: the dolphin was spotted still entangled. We hope to have ORRCA members out at various vantage points trying to track this dolphin in the coming days, if spotted again and weather permitting. If you are out along this river system or the coastline in this area in the coming days, please keep an eye out. If you see this dolphin, please call the ORRCA Rescue Hotline asap on 02 9415 3333. Please try to get a photo or video to confirm the entanglement plus a GPS location. Importantly, please do not approach this dolphin. Dolphins are protected in Australian waters.

13.01.2022 REGGIE UPDATE ORRCA members have continued to monitor Reggie as he makes his way south. There are been many sightings on the Illawarra and mid south coast beaches on and off this month as he spends time at sea and rests on our shores. Remember, seals are unpredictable, wild animals and they are protected in Australian waters. ... Never approach a seal, your are required to say at least 40 meters away. Also never offer food to a seal, they are hunters and can bite if provoked. Please report all sightings of seals on land into the ORRCA Rescue Hotline 02 9415 3333.

13.01.2022 HAPPENING NOW... Our hearts are breaking for our Tassie colleagues! What a devastating event to be faced with during this challenging year. Fingers crossed, the amazing Tassie marine mammal rescue team can save most of the pod!

12.01.2022 A SPECIAL MESSAGE TO ALL ORRCA MEMBERS The ORRCA admin team cleared out our mailbox on Monday after the festive season and were nicely surprised to receive a special and very much appreciated Christmas card! The message, attached, is for all ORRCA members. ... A BIG thank you to Kate Washington MP, Member for Port Stephens and the Shadow Minister for Environment and Heritage for thinking of our amazing team of volunteers. We wish you and your team a great 2021! #KateRWashington #givingthanks #volunteers #orrcaaustralia #community

12.01.2022 Congratulations to our newest graduates from the Sawtell region of NSW. Welcome to Team ORRCA valued rescue members. Well done to the Training Team for their passion and determination in making Sawtell happen. Another successful ORRCA Rescue Training day completed!

11.01.2022 After a busy season on Sydney's northern beaches, we say THANK YOU to the Surf Lifesaving team's along the northern beaches for their ongoing support of ORRCA and our Rescue Hotline Team. We greatly appreciated their support in our awareness campaign to help educate local coastal communities about the amazing marine mammals that frequent our coastline. Our common aim: ... To keep both humans and wildlife safe. Co-habitation is possible with a little education and respect. https://www.surflifesaving.net.au

10.01.2022 PLEASE share far and wide.

10.01.2022 HAPPENING NOW... ORRCA has been monitoring this amazing boy for over 2 months! Now hanging on the Central Coast, ORRCA members are working together with NPWS to help keep this seal safe. Here are a few simple ways to help you to safely co-exist with our ‘Sealy’ visitor if you see him on the beach!... 1. Seals are a protected species, DO NOT TOUCH! 2. If you see this seal, give it plenty of space 3. Please leave it to rest (STAY 40m AWAY) 4. Keep dogs and children well away 5. The water, is its home, never block its path back into the water 6. If you are in the water, never approach the seal 7. DO NOT FEED THE SEAL. He is a hunter and will head off to catch a feed when he likes! 8. If you see an injured or resting seal, call ORRCA on 9415 3333 9. Want to learn more about seals? Become an ORRCA volunteer

10.01.2022 Our thoughts are with you Tasmania. Such a tragic week, with so many animals lost.Our thoughts are with you Tasmania. Such a tragic week, with so many animals lost.

10.01.2022 Please share far and wide

08.01.2022 HAPPENING NOW ~ WORLD WHALE DAY Celebrate, Protect, Conserve, Observe, Love Today is world whale day! World Whale Day, aims to raise awareness of these magnificent ocean creatures. Far and wide, large and small, these marine mammals need our protection and our respect. It is our chance to celebrate the majesty and mystery of the biggest animals on the planet. ... A day to recognise the ongoing challenges they face from human activity, climate change, pollution, and the over fishing of our oceans. Today is all about reflecting on the challenges the worlds whales face across the globe. And for some, to take action! World Whale Day celebrates everything WHALES. See more

07.01.2022 Today started like every day for the ORRCA Rescue Hotline. Our Rescue Hotline Coordinator today was Thomas, and he was backed up by 4 Senior Rescue Hotline members. The first incident call was at 7.18am this morning. It wasn’t for a marine mammal it was a Turtle! ORRCA is more than happy to take these calls and pass the details onto our sister group Australian Seabird Rescue (ASR). ... Following this, the day was a blur! With well over 20 calls into the ORRCA Rescue Hotline today which may not sound like many but when you’re an all-volunteer Rescue group, it is a lot! Each call is returned and then assessed before actions and rescue plans are put in place to manage each unique and individual incident. Today, we had incident calls for 1st dead whale 1 entangled whale 1 large sea turtle x 2 calls 1 whale sighting 1 dead seal x 2 A wrong number 1 stranded whale in far north Queensland (yes, we have members up there) x 2 calls 1 dead whale (new location) 1 stranded whale, alive x 4 calls Seal call, thermoregulating Seal hauled out, scared off by people Call drop out Seal call, thermoregulating, fishing Various Media calls Our last call was at 4.35pm with our last member getting home at 5.46pm. Each call can have many layers to it depending on where the incident is, what animal is involved, if its alive or dead, even rare, endangered or an Antarctic species. Then there are the many parties that need to be involved to work through the management, the removal or the ongoing research of an animal. Hundreds of calls were made today with many ORRCA members volunteering their time, attending incidents up and down the NSW coastline and in Queensland. It is a privilege to be a part of this amazing Volunteer Rescue Team. It is a team of volunteers that works well together and for the common purpose of saving marine mammals and learning from each incident. There is always so much passion that goes into each incident and it because of this and reflecting on the outcomes after a day like today, that we say THANK YOU to all of our valued ORRCA members! YOU are the beating heart of ORRCA! And Thomas, you were awesome today! THANK YOU! For all injured, distressed, entangled, stranded or dead whales, seals, dolphins or dugongs, please call the ORRCA Rescue Hotline on 02 9415 3333. NPWS

07.01.2022 Please stay safe everyone. Together, we can overcome this challenging time.

06.01.2022 Happy New Year valued members and friends of ORRCA. Bring on 2021.Happy New Year valued members and friends of ORRCA. Bring on 2021.

04.01.2022 Further to our last post... A very positive outcome shared by all involved! Congratulations to the brave disentanglement crews!

04.01.2022 Following a call to the ORRCA Rescue Hotline at around 9.30pm last night, ORRCA have been monitoring a young fur seal that had made Cronulla its resting place for the last 20 hours. Hauling out and moving up to the park at south Cronulla, this seal was out to explore the local night life! After ORRCA alerted the local Cronulla Police, they headed out and did the night shift after finding the young seal roaming the street area. The seal was then left to rest closer to the beac...Continue reading

04.01.2022 Sending you HOPE and STRENGTH Tasmania marine mammal teams. Thank you for doing your best in tragic and trying conditions. You're in our thoughts.

03.01.2022 A TIMELY REMINDER: The importance of being Seal aware and keeping at least 40 metres away at all times. https://www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au//dog-owner-fined-se

03.01.2022 Thank you for your support IFAW. Jodie Lowe, ORRCA member

03.01.2022 HAPPENING NOW... We are now seeing big numbers of whales migrating south, just in time for the start of ORRCAs southern migration research program. An update from one of our valued ORRCA members yesterday...... 'NSW South Coast - we are seeing 100s of humpbacks together from Tuross Head & down to Eden. This is absolutely amazing to see. All photos taken from the shore line. For the first time I heard the whales singing while on shore. All the people with me heard the whales singing for the first time & it was for 3 to 4 times that we heard them.' Maree Jackson, ORRCA member

03.01.2022 SEALS ABOUT. RESPECT THEIR SPACE. Whilst the whale migration has more or less wrapped up for 2020, ORRCA is still busy with seals settling in at their favourite haul out locations along our coastlines. Here are a few simple ways to help beach and bay goers to safely co-exist with our ‘Sealy’ visitors at this time of year. We hope that through being a little more aware of these curious visitors, together, we will help protect them into the future!... This photo is of a pair of seals spotted THERMOREGULATING on the northern beaches of Sydney. This is normal behaviour and they can happily do this for hours. kindly provided by Ariel Darley, ORRCA supporter

02.01.2022 COMING OUT OF LOCKDOWN With the wonderful news of the Sydney Northern Beaches coming out of lockdown this week, Reggie has also decided to come out of 'lockdown'! Late yesterday, after a couple of weeks vacation, Reggie the Australian Fur Seal, appeared to delight locals and visitors on the northern beaches. ... IMPORTANTLY, please respect his space and stay well back. He is a wild animal and can be unpredictable! Do not try and feed him, he is a hunter. ORRCA, NPWS and local Police and Council officers are monitoring his haul outs. Please report any issues or concerns plus new sightings to the ORRCA Rescue Hotline on 02 9415 3333. If he is on your local beach in the coming days, please enjoy him from a distance, keep at least 40m away.

01.01.2022 Just a reminder members and friends, please share far and wide...

01.01.2022 Congratulations to our newest graduates from the Newcastle region of NSW. Welcome to Team ORRCA valued rescue members. Well done to the Training Team for their passion and determination. Another successful ORRCA Rescue Training day completed!

01.01.2022 Please share far and wide URGENT COMMUNITY SUPPPORT NEEDED 'Reg' the Australian Fur Seal left the Central Coast on Saturday and is now back on the northern beaches of Sydney as he makes his way south. ... The ORRCA team have been monitoring this guy for over 2 months and we need to ask for the communities HELP while he is still gracing our shores... For YOUR safety and the SEALs... PLEASE stay well back if he hauls out on your beach. Over 40m away as a minimum. See the images for examples of what is safe and allowed by law. Never block his path back into the water! Reg is a protected species and can be very dangerous. Keep children and pets well away at all times! with thanks to M. Bortolin and NPWS