The inaugural BDMLR South East Conference, which is open to all, comes in the 20th-anniversary year of the volunteer group, which now trains more than 500 Marine Mammal Medics a year and has some 3000 volunteers stationed around the country, ready to tend marine creatures in distress.
Speakers at the all-day event will be Gavin Parsons, on rescues photography; Alan Stuart, on the problem of cetacean by-catches; Alan Knight OBE, on the challenges of whale disentanglement; Jamie Dyer, on BDMLR seal hospital services; Jason Carter, on fund-raising; Ali Charles and Katie Price, on RSPCA hospital seal rehabilitations; Paul Jepson, on the value of post-mortems; Darren Collis on campaigning; and Andy Small, on problems posed by solitary cetaceans from a police perspective (centring on the recent conviction of two men for harassing dolphin Dave, off the South Coast).
Informational stands will include BDMLR, Marine Conservation Society, Sea Shepherd, Organisation Cetacea, International Animal Rescue, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Port of London Authority, Kent Police Wildlife Unit, Oceanvisions, and Oonasdivers.
Attractions are a prize raffle and a wildlife photography competition with a digital camera as a prize.
Head for Saxonway Primary School, Church Path, Ingram Road, Gillingham, Kent ME7 1SJ.
Tickets cost ?5 for members/supporters, ?10 for non-members/members' guests. Full event details and online registration - www.bdmlr.org.uk
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