Condition Codes
Condition codes are the national standard used by the stranding network to classify both living and deceased marine animals and their state of decomposition. Sampling protocols are specific to each condition code.
Alive (Code 1): Animal is alive.
Fresh Dead (Code 2): The carcass is in good condition (fresh/”edible”). Normal appearance, may have some scavenger damage; fresh smell; minimal drying and wrinkling of skin, eyes, and mucous membranes; eyes clear; carcass not bloated, tongue and penis not protruded; blubber firm and white; muscles firm, dark red, well-defined; blood cells intact, able to settle in a sample tube; serum non-hemolyzed; viscera intact and well-defined, gut contains little or no gas; brain firm with no discoloration, surface features distinct, easily removed intact.
Moderate Decomposition (Code 3): The carcass is in fair condition (decomposed, but organs basically intact). Carcass intact or scavenged, bloating evident (tongue and penis may be protruded) and skin/fur cracked and sloughing; characteristic mild to moderate odor; mucous membranes dry, eyes sunken or missing; blubber blood-tinged and oily; muscles soft and poorly defined; blood hemolyzed, uniformly dark red; viscera soft, friable, mottled, but still intact; gut dilated by gas; brain soft; surface features distinct, dark reddish cast; fragile but can usually be moved intact.
Advanced Decomposition (Code 4): The carcass is in poor condition (advanced decomposition). Carcass may be intact, but collapsed; skin sloughing; epidermis of cetaceans may be entirely missing; often severe scavenger damage; strong odor; blubber soft, often with pockets of gas and pooled oil; muscles nearly liquefied and easily torn, falling easily off bones; blood thin and black; viscera often identifiable but friable, easily torn, and difficult to dissect; gut gas-filled; brain soft, dark red, containing gas pockets, pudding-like consistency.
Mummified/Skeletal (Code 5): Skin may be draped over skeletal remains; any remaining tissues are desiccated.