ORRCA Marine Mammal Rescue Training Workshops for 2008

Central Coast - 19 and 20 April - completed

North Coast - 12 and 13 July - completed

NPWS NBA - 1 and 2 November - completed 

Central Coast - 21 and 22 February 2009

The Spring edition 2008 of

'Flippers and Flukes'

will soon be available from the website

orrca@orrca.org.au

Calling all ORRCAnisms!

(especially those who live in the Northern Beaches Area)

ORRCA is once again participating in the

Manly Ocean Care Day Festival

The theme this year is the International Year of the Reef

Date: Sunday 7 December 2008

Time: 9:30 am for set up

17:00 pm take down

Location: Manly Beach and beachfront promenade

Parking is limited and we don't as yet know how many passes we will receive, so public transport or walking is recomended.

Please contact the hotline on 9415 3333 or email orrca@orrca.org.au if you are interested in attending by 25 November for rostering purposes. Last time we attended it was a lot of fun!!!

So, come and join us on the promenade and meet or catch up with other ORRCAnisms!!!

This is ORRCA!

 

Australia is a country familiar with whale strandings. ORRCA works with the New South Wales Department of Environment and Climate Change and other government agencies at these events.  Effective rescue procedures took quite a long while to perfect. Even by the mid 1980s few animals could be saved. However Australia now has  a leading role in the development of whale rescue techniques and has an excellent success record at mass strandings. ORRCA is leading the way in  developing more effective ways to rescue whales and other marine mammals.

  

ORRCA is  the most experienced and successful whale rescue organisation in Australia.

  

Every year ORRCA trains many members of government agencies (including the Department of Environment and Climate Change) and ORRCA Members in marine mammal rescue.

 

ORRCA is also involved with the protection and welfare of seals, sea lions, dolphins and dugongs. Every year ORRCA volunteers spend many hours protecting hauled out seals and monitoring other marine mammals. We also work with Government Authorities and other groups with marine mammal rehabilitation and release. ORRCA's input is also sought when legislative bodies are amending existing laws or introducing new ones.

  

We assist with, monitor, and give advice on  marine animal entanglements.

  

ORRCA members receive a quarterly newsletter 'Flippers and Flukes'. This  keeps members up to date with the latest in best practices and procedures from Australia and around the world. We also encourage our members to tell  stories of their experiences with marine wildlife.

 

We have active research programs to better understand the problems that marine mammals encounter and to discover possible solutions and favourable outcomes. Our research includes necropsies, bone recoveries, skeletal exhumations, whale migration and behaviour monitoring and observations, as well as ongoing investigations in other areas.

 

Public education is another of our activities. We are always willing to share our knowledge as we are there for all.

 

Everyone in ORRCA is a volunteer. ORRCA is the only wildlife carers group in New South Wales licensed to be involved with marine mammal rescue, rehabilitation and release. Our members come from all walks of life, age groups and nationalities. We operate as a non-profit organisation and have charity status. View our constitution here.

 

Most importantly ORRCA operates a 24 hour / 7- day- a- week Marine Mammal Hotline. This telephone Hotline is staffed by volunteers and keeps ORRCA members, Government Authorities and interested members of the public informed of marine mammal emergencies, incidents and sightings. These incidents are not only in New South Wales but often in other states or even other countries.

 

ORRCA receives limited Government funding and grants but otherwise relies on income from memberships, donations and workshops  to keep the hotline and the organisation functioning.

 

ORRCA membership is open to all and your enquiries are welcome at orrca@orrca.org.au or by phoning the ORRCA Hotline on (61+ 02) 9415 3333.