Marine Mammals What is a necropsy?

When biologists wish to know the cause of death for a marine mammal, they conduct a necropsy. A necropsy is similar to an autopsy for humans. The marine mammal must be cut open, carefully examined and researched as to the cause of death, so the necropsy helps the biologist understand (through observations of the carcass) how the animal died, why it died, and if the public health will be impacted in any way -- or if "signs of human interaction are present on the carcass" (Section One, p. 15). The biologist or scientists who is performing the necropsy is initially making an objective evaluation to see if there are indeed obvious signs that human interaction (HI) might have been involved. Secondly, a subjective search is conducted -- much more involved and intense -- to evaluate further the possibility that humans in any way impacted the demise of the marine mammal.

Why do we perform necropsies on stranded marine mammals?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has a requirement that HI information be gathered and presented in order to document fully why the death of the marine mammal occurred.
Secondly, necropsies are performed because scientists need to understand all the ramifications and reasons that can explain the marine mammal's death. The purpose is because a "solid scientific foundation" must be established in the name of wildlife conservation. By carefully examining the kinds of interactions that have taken place between the marine mammal and humans (or other animals) can "…highlight resource use conflicts" (16). This is vitally important because the data involving human interaction can be "…easily misinterpreted," and if there is powerful evidence as to why the animal died, it…