The Marine Animal Response Society (MARS) developed and implemented the first and only marine animal medic course in Canada, where trainees can learn about the species, their conservation status and safe methods to respond to dead and distressed animals. Since the training program began, MARS has trained almost 400 volunteers from universities, communities and industry, as well as government personnel from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, provincial fisheries and Parks Canada.
The primary focus of the MARS training program is to ensure human safety when encountering dead and distressed marine animals and assisting with response (when appropriate and authorized; and only under guidance and supervision of trained MARS experts).
MARS is dedicated to marine animal conservation through
response, research and engagement.
FEATURED COURSES
MARS's in-person 'Marine Animal Medic' Course has been broken down into smaller online courses.
These courses are intended for MARS volunteers and will provide participants with the knowledge and skills they need to support expert responders in effective and safe response to dead and distressed marine animal incidents.
OTHER AVAILABLE COURSES
The following courses are available for those that sign-up as an official MARS volunteer.
HOW TO IDENTIFY
MARINE SPECIES
The Complete Guide to Identifying Cetaceans, Pinnipeds, Sea Turtles and Sharks in Atlantic Canadian Waters.
Available for MARS volunteers upon request!
RESPONDER HEALTH
AND SAFTEY
It is essential that all responders have at least a basic understanding of the challenges posed and what may be expected of all volunteers wishing to get involved in response.
Available for MARS volunteers upon request!
EXPERIENCE AND TRAINERS
MARS experts have extensive training in response methods; having received training from globally recognized experts in New Zealand, the UK and the US. For over 15 years, MARS has provided species identification and dead and live incident response training to interested parties, including Fisheries and Oceans, Parks Canada and provincial personnel.
MARS coordinators received training in 2005 from British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) in the assessment and re-floatation of large live stranded whales, including the use of whale rescue pontoons (originally designed by Project Jonah in New Zealand). At that time, BDMLR also trained MARS coordinators in providing the training program to others. MARS is an officially recognized trainer in the BDMLR whale re-floatation pontoon system.
Training in the use of the whale rescue re-floatation system was incorporated into the MARS marine mammal medic training program over ten years ago and has been delivered to hundreds of participants, including many Fisheries and Oceans Conservation & Protection officers in Maritime and Gulf region. MARS is the only globally-recognized provider of such response training in Canada, and sole organization recognized by BDMLR to deliver training related to the re-floatation pontoon system.
VOLUNTEER WITH MARS
MARS is committed to providing its volunteers with opportunities to safely engage in, and benefit from,
participating in a number of different response activities.
We need volunteers to visit sites, to confirm a report of a dead or distressed marine animal and to collect data (i.e. photos, measurements and possibly samples). If MARS responders are on scene to direct rescue efforts, there may be additional opportunities to help response efforts; however, incidents are unpredictable and we cannot guarantee when or where they will happen.
Sound good to you? Click the button to fill out our volunteer form:
