How this Lewes nonprofit has spearheaded marine animal conservation in Delaware

Sometimes it takes a dire moment to instill change, and for one Delaware resident, that came over two decades ago when she had to keep a beached sea turtle in her laundry room overnight.

At that time, Suzanne Thurman was running an environmental education center for the state and responded to a call at night about a stranded sea turtle.

But with no nearby facility open to care for the turtle, Thurman had to wait until the next day to transport it, unsure if it would live overnight. The loggerhead turtle survived, but being unable to provide immediate care for that turtle was “anguishing,” Thurman told Delaware Online/The News Journal.

That incident prompted her to found the Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute, a Lewes-based nonprofit research and rehabilitation center that helps preserve marine mammals and sea turtles.

Twenty-three years later, the MERR Institute has over 400 volunteers and responds to 230-300 marine animal and sea turtle strandings every year, according to Thurman. As of Wednesday, it has responded to 121 strandings in 2023.

Speed is the name of the game

Time is of the essence when it comes to animals in need, which is why the organization is on call 24/7 to respond to any reported strandings along the Delaware coast.

When the MERR Institute receives a call, Thurman or a volunteer working the phone will ask the caller questions about the animal’s size, location and status. Within minutes of the initial call, that information is relayed to all staff, interns and volunteers, and, if needed, Thurman coordinates a response to the incident.

Seals are the most labor-intensive animal because they remain in the Atlantic region throughout the winter and into the spring, Thurman said. The seals come out of the water and sleep on the beaches, often causing the public to become concerned and call. Volunteers take shifts for the phone line to help combat the estimated 150 yearly calls about seals.

The organization has already responded to a number of those calls this year, including one in March about two resting seals that ended up returning to the sea on their own. Earlier that month, the MERR Institute rescued a young male harp seal that was infected with lice in Rehoboth Beach and transported him to the National Aquarium in Baltimore for rehabilitation, according to the organization's Facebook page.

Along with seals, the institute responds to whale and dolphin standings. In 2021, it responded to a 57-foot stranded fin whale that eventually died at Cape Henlopen. More recently, the MERR Institute helped with a sea turtle release at Rehoboth Beach on June 29.

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When a marine animal, like the fin whale, cannot be saved, the MERR Institute performs necropsies to learn more about the animal’s cause of death and any other information that can help future conservation efforts.

Educating others about marine life

Thurman and the MERR Institute take pride in educating the public on conservation and preservation. Thurman and her organization do this by visiting schools and other groups to teach people about marine life and how to protect it.

For those who want more of a front-row seat experience, the organization also partners with Cape Water Tours in Lewes for dolphin-watching tours, where participants help the MERR Institute collect data on local dolphin populations.

“We actually see our education efforts as the biggest contribution to the welfare of these animals, much more powerful than just responding to them,” Thurman said. “Because it's through education that people start to learn little things that they can do.”

Whether it be using paper straws or forgoing balloons at celebrations, Thurman believes the education efforts can make “more conscientious and better environmental stewards.”

How to get involved

Those interested in volunteering for the MERR Institute can contact merrinstitute@gmail.com. Volunteers assist in data reporting, education programs, membership correspondence and rescue response. Those interested in becoming members of the MERR Institute can visit its website and donate.

As for why Delawareans give their free time to the organization, Thurman believes it's to receive an internal incentive.

“We get to see these animals in the water near enough that we can actually see them from the beach. And so, they develop that passion, that affinity with these animals,” Thurman said. “They want to be a part of something bigger than themselves that can help these animals.”

While the organization is volunteer-centered, it also provides internships and programs for students who are interested in marine life conservation as a career.

One of this summer’s interns is Oriana Ballotta, who helped with the sea turtle release last month.

“It's been so fun,” Ballotta said. “This has really confirmed for me that that's what I want to do. I wasn't sure what type of animals I would have worked with before, but now I know."

Meanwhile, Zeal Goolesby, a staffer who recently graduated from the University of Delaware, called her current position with the MERR Institute her “dream job.”

“I have wanted to work with marine animals ever since I was also a little girl, and it is truly a dream come true that I get to physically help these animals get back home, make them feel better and take care of them,” Goolesby said.

What to do if you see a stranded sea mammal or turtle

Thousands of marine animals are killed by human activity every year, a number that the MERR Institute hopes to limit.

With fishing nets, boating and pollution, marine life along Delaware’s coast faces constant threats.

If you see a marine mammal or sea turtle on the beach, you can call the MERR Institute's hotline at (302) 228-5029.

The MERR Institute also recommends keeping pets on a leash to prevent any harm to the animal or your pet. If it is a stranded seal, stay at least 150 feet away, as required by federal law.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: MERR Institute is spearheading marine conservation in Delaware