December 2003

News Items and Rescues

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		December 2003 News
	3rd December Hi all, Here's the first BDMLR News bulletin for December 2003. The BDMLR Forum ( click the link at the top of the page 'Message Board ') continues to be quite busy, especially with up-to-date info about the ongoing Grey seal rescues in Scotland. There are also a number of other topics open for you to get involved with .... why not take a look and even start your own topic ? Thanks to those who have contributed to this bulletin and don't forget, if you take a look at the News pages on the website, you will often find larger and extra photos concerning items within these bulletins. Cheers, Tony Woodley Exmouth BDMLR Rescue/Training Co-ordinator BDMLR OnLine Seal Pup Rescue/Release - Scotland 1st December Good lord, we virtually have a pup a day now!...yesterday afternoon 30.11.03 Montrose Medic Bob Pert was alerted of a seal pup in Arbroath that was hauled out on the slipway. Having been there for a considerable time with both canine and public disturbance Bob removed it from the slipway and placed it in his holding tank whilst Montrose Coordinator Elaine Roft made her way to join him. New recruit Thom McNeil met up with us at a quieter location further South, where "Sherman" our grey fully moulted pup was later released. Elaine Roft British Divers Marine Life Rescue Montrose Area Coordinator (covers Inverbervie - Easthaven) Seal Pup Rescue - Montrose, Scotland 2nd December Montrose coordinator Elaine Roft was called out this evening 2.12.03 to a pup that was lying on Montrose beach. The public had observed it from a distance for the whole of the day and were concerned that it hadn't moved. With the tide due in, and nowhere for the pup to haul out on, concerns for it were mounting as the incoming tide would only pound it off the rock barriers causing severe injury or possible death.Volunteers Sue Threlfall and Paul Horne kept vigil, whilst Elaine and volunteer Darren Mann collected the vari kennel with Bob Pert making his way to Montrose with the holding tank. A complete examination was carried out, and the fully moulted female pup weighing an approx 18kg was left to rest after having its eyes bathed. The pup, named "Susie Toots" was extremely exhausted and just wanted to sleep,despite being alert active and responsive on uplift.Fraserburgh Medics were on standby for doing a relay from Balmeddie, with Lawrence Brain, New Deer vet and seal rehaber also on standby for accommodating the pup." Susie Toots" will be released at a quieter location tomorrow morning, where she has space to swim or haul out accordingly.Many thanks to the members of the public for their all day vigil, and for realising that this was a grey pup that wasn't waiting on its mother to come back and feed it! Contrary to the Documentary broadcast tonight by SSPCA. Its probably fair to say also, that SSPCA Middlebank are not the only seal rehabilitation Unit considering that we have Oban Sea Life Centre, Orkney Seal Rescue and Lawrence Brain, who will accommodate pups if he has room. 3.12.03 Elaine contacted BDMLR vet James Barnett for his professional opinion on this pup as at times it looked healthy and then a change indicated that it was a rehab case. James liased with New Deer vet Lawrence Brain, and it was decided that the pup should go to Lawrence for his opinion and attention following photographic evidence supplied by Elaine to James. Fraserburgh medic Andrew Ireland met the Montrose team today where the pup was uplifted and taken to Lawrence's practice. Many thanks to all involved with this rescue and for the professional advice from James, Lawrence and Ross. Elaine Roft British Divers Marine Life Rescue Montrose Area Coordinator (covers Inverbervie - Easthaven) Pygmy Sperm Whale Strands - Jupiter, Florida 2nd December A 6-foot pygmy sperm whale died Tuesday after it came ashore just south of the Jupiter Reef Club early that morning, according to rescuers and lifeguards. Beachcombers discovered the whale about 7 a.m., and rescuers tried to transport it to a marine institute before it died. Rick Trout of the Marine Mammal Conservancy in Key Largo said more than 50 pygmy sperm whales have died after coming ashore in Florida this year. [Marine Mammal Conservancy : click here] ( source : www.palmbeachpost.com ) Video of Mass Stranding - Tasmania I have discovered a web page from CBS News which has a 30 second film clip of the mass stranding mentioned in the bulletin I sent out on the 30th November. The original news item is also on the November 2003 page at the 'News' link on the BDMLR website. Obviously it's a quicker download if you have broadband but even you don't it's probably worth the wait as the video picture quality is very good. Click on this rather large link ( below ) and then click on the link to the video which you will find about a third of the way down the page on the Right side. Tony. Here's the link : click here
	5th December Hi all. Well yesterday it was 'our' turn to get some excitement down here in Devon. Mid morning Plymouth/Devon Co-ordinator, Arie den Hollander, was alerted by the Coastguard to a 'whale' stranded at Bovisands, East of Plymouth. The phones started ringing ,,,,,,, Alan Knight at BDMLR HQ was in touch with myself to have our pontoon set on standby as well as the Jarvis's in Cornwall with their set. An eyewitness described the whale as appearing to be 'thin' as its ribs were visible. Arie headed off to Bovisands but by the time he got there the whale had managed to free itself from the rocks and was seen to swim off by the attending Auxillary Coastguards. Arie organised a RIB from the Mountbatten Watersports Centre in Plymouth and a sweep of the area was carried out. The whale was not sighted again. It was initially described as a Pilot whale but later identified as a Northern Bottlenosed whale ... unusual for this area. I have attached a news item from the local newspaper and managed to obtain some stills from the BBC news report which went out last night. Apologies for the pic quality. Indeed, when you watch the film you can see that the whales ribs, spine and a visible 'neck' are all obvious. It appears that this whale was very underweight. At the moment there have been no further sightings. Cheers, Tony Woodley Exmouth BDMLR Rescue/Training Co-ordinator BDMLR OnLine BEACHED WHALE DRAMA - DEVON, UK. 4th December A rare northern bottlenose whale was seen on the Westcountry coast yesterday for the first time in nearly 40 years. The 20ft deep-diving marine mammal was spotted stranded on rocks at Bovisand, in Plymouth Sound, at around 9am yesterday by a member of the public. Coastguards and British Divers Marine Life Rescue were quickly alerted to the plight of the whale. But they were not required to intervene as the whale managed to free itself and swim out to deeper water around an hour later. It is not thought to have suffered any serious injuries. The sighting of the whale, which is normally found in the North Atlantic and as far south as the Bay of Biscay, has excited marine life experts. Rolf Williams, from Plymouth's National Marine Aquarium, said the last time a northern bottlenose whale was seen in the region was at Millbrook in September 1965. It was also only the 119th record of the whale in the UK in the last 90 years, most of which have been in northern and western Scotland. "It's exciting for us because it is so unusual," he said, "it shouldn't be here, and we know so little about them. It's tremendous to be able to see an animal whose who life and world is totally alien to us." Mr Williams, who has studied the whales in the wild, says the most likely explanation for the stranding was that the animal had simply "taken a wrong turning". Its failed sense of direction could, he explained, have been caused by an illness. The whales, which can grow to 26ft long, feed on squid and can dive to up to 1,000 metres - deeper than most submarines. A member of the beaked whale family, they were heavily fished at the turn of the century. However, the mammals' preference for deep water means that little is known about their behaviour or migration. Mr Williams explained that they had been able to identify the whale - Latin name Hyperoodon Ampllatus - because of several distinctions. "There are very few brown whales and when someone came in and described it as having a beak and bulbous head it was clear that it was a northern bottlenose," he added. Although, the whale has not been seen since it swam clear of the rocks, there are still concerns that it may still be confused and re-beach itself. The northern bottlenose whale is the latest in a number of rare marine species that have been spotted or caught around the region's coast. Many have been more exotic species, their arrival linked to the warming of the seas. Among them has been the rare scaly cheeked wrasse - a bright red six-inch-long fish normally found off the Spanish and African coasts. Other notable recordings in the South West have included the first "big eye" thresher shark to be found in Britain's waters, a rare Mediterranean sponge crab caught off the North Devon coast and increasing numbers of loggerhead turtles. ( source : www.westernmorningnews.co.uk )
	12th December Hi all, Here are a few items of interest for you. Thanks to those who have contributed. Cheers, Tony Woodley Exmouth BDMLR Rescue/Training Co-ordinator BDMLR OnLine Scottish Pup Rescue 11th December Montrose Volunteer Paul Horne found a semi moulted grey pup today in a bad way and immediately called Montrose Coordinator Elaine Roft. Assisted by Volunteer Joan Bell, the pup was uplifted from the estuary as the tide was coming in, and moved to a more sheltered area away from the beach. The pup, a male, had slow laboured breathing,thick discharge from the nose, slight bleeding from the mouth was very hypothermic and had lesions covering both the front and rear flippers. There was also a puncture wound to the right side and base of the neck. Elaine and her volunteers battled for a good two and a half hours to try and get the pups circulation going and it was kept warm with quilting and blankets. A temperature reading proved fruitless, and despite their efforts the pup named "Charlie" sadly died. James Barnett BDMLR vet was notified and he requested that a post mortem be carried out if the pup could be transported to Inverness. A local courier company have agreed uplift tomorrow for delivery to SAC in Inverness. Local vet with the Montrose group, Ian Anderson from Robson and Partners was notified, and has agreed to house hypothermic patients overnight in the future, providing intravenous drips and heat lamps, and to liase with James Barnett prior to transferring to Lawrence at New Deer. As the pup was near to deaths door on arrival at the Scene, it was decided to call the vet only if the pups condition could be stabilised. Many thanks to all involved and to Mel Brake from the B&B for her assistance. Elaine Roft British Divers Marine Life Rescue Montrose Area Coordinator (covers Inverbervie - Easthaven) Spectators warned to steer clear of dolphin - Australia 11th December Wildlife officers are keeping an eye on a dolphin they suspect is sick swimming in the Thomson River near Sale in eastern Victoria. It first appeared near the causeway bridge at the entrance to the town on the weekend. Wildlife officer Charlie Franken says he has had expert advice that moving the dolphin could make its condition worse. He is calling on sightseers not to approach the animal to give it the best chance possible of recovering. "It's come up there for some reason that obviously we don't really know of, but there's no artificial injuries so it hasn't been caught up in a net or wire, so what problem it has got is caused by natural causes," he said. ( source : www.abc.net.au ) Mote monitors wounded young dolphin - Florida 11th December From the surface, it looked like any other young bottle-nosed dolphin. The 1-year-old never ventured far from its presumed mother. They surfaced and dove together, the young one routinely kicking its flipper high out of the water. But the 6-foot-long baby, informally nicknamed Placida Dolphin, was special, at least to members of Mote Marine Laboratory's Stranding Investigations Program. Boaters spotted the dolphin in Placida Harbor on Nov. 5, wounded and trailing a monofilament fishing line. It had been struck by a propeller, and the line had wedged itself into the gash, cutting deeper into the the dolphin and preventing the wound from healing. The slice was so bad that Nelio Barros, program manager for Mote, said it likely would have killed the dolphin, possibly cutting off its fluke. "I believe if we hadn't intervened, it would have been life threatening," Barros said. "The wound was very severe." A team of veterinarians, dolphin handlers and 20 biologists treated the dolphin Nov. 14. They removed the fishing line, treated the cut and injected antibiotics. The session was done in the harbor and lasted just minutes. The mother never left its sight. "We were very concerned about doing it quickly," Barros said. Doing well Since their intervention, Mote officials have monitored the dolphin two or three times a week. Thursday they found the pair traveling north in the Gulf of Mexico off Little Gasparilla Island. They swam within a few hundred feet of shore. Barros said the dolphins typically venture out of the harbor. Biologists on personal water crafts took pictures and assessed its condition. They relayed the messages to Barros, who rode on a press boat supplied by Placida's Grande Tours. "The vets are telling me the wounds are healing very nicely," Barros said. "It doesn't seem to hinder much of her movement that we could tell." Biologists spend two to six hours with the dolphin each time. The baby has been feeding regularly and socializing with other dolphins, said Nadine Slimak, Mote's public relation's manager. Both point to a full recovery, though its scars are permanent. Slimak said biologists and recreational boaters will continue tracking the baby over the next few months. It is just one of hundreds the group watches over, many of which are victims of human's actions. "(Entanglements) are a problem for dolphins; they're a problem for birds," Slimak said. "Anything that comes in contact with it, has a potential of getting itself caught. Luckily, this one's doing well." ( source : www.venicegondolier.com )
	Christmas Caption Competition Hi all, To celebrate the festive season it's been suggested that we have a Caption Competition. We did run these competitions last year for a while and received some great captions. Well .... here we go again ! ...... your chance to have bit of fun and try and win a BDMLR fleece ! ... two runners up get a key ring each. Below is an 'amusing' pic and I'm inviting you to send your captions to me .... here are the rules ; - Closing date/time : Sunday 21st December - 7.00pm (BST) - All the captions, senders names and the winner will be published after the closing date. - Try and keep it at least slightly 'clean' ! - Judges decision is final ( that's me and Jacqui ... my wife ) - You can enter as many times as you like. - 1st Prize ...... BDMLR fleece - Two runners up receive a BDMLR keyring. C'mon have a go ... it's just for fun ! ( and a fleece ) and we'll even try and get the prizes to the winners in time for Christmas. Click HERE to send in your entries. Please include your name. Good luck Tony Woodley Exmouth BDMLR Rescue/Training Co-ordinator BDMLR OnLine ( For a larger sized image click HERE )
	17th December Hi all, Here are a number of items of interest for you all. Congratulations again to all those involved in July's refloat of the Common dolphins at Brixham, U.K. Read below for further info. Thanks to those who have contributed to this bulletin. Cheers, Tony Woodley Exmouth BDMLR Rescue/Training Co-ordinator BDMLR OnLine Seal Release Scarborough After receiving a call from Scarborough Sea-life centre asking for help in the release of 3 commons McCall, McCloud and Taggart that had been brought in from different locations earlier this year, McCall Was rescued on the 27/7/03 from Filey having cuts all over and was very malnourished, McCloud was rescued 28/7/03 From Robin Hoods bay suffering from malnutrition mouth ulcers black teeth and puncture wounds, Taggart 29/8/03 from Robin Hoods Bay again he was suffering from malnutrition injury’s to his mouth and swollen gums. After going through rehab at Scarborough Sea-life centre, and now feeling fit again the seals were ready for release. A location had originally been chosen close to the river Humber, but after finding out the day of the release that there would be a major fishing competition taking place, it was thought a good idea not to spoil the fisherman’s day and release in a different location. The location chosen was close to Humanby Gap near Filey Pos 54 10.7 N, 000 15.7 W. I would just like to pass on my thanks to Scarborough Sea-life centre for all the work they have done for the seals, since they came in when they were released as you can sea from the pictures they are in perfect condition. The seals only had a 30 minute journey to the release location. McCloud decided when he got to the water he did not want to go but after a short while he changed his mind and all went well, all the seals soon disappeared, good luck to them. Big thanks to all who took part in the release. Simon Drayton Brixham Dolphin Rescue - Award Ceremony 13th December Congratulations to all those who attended the Coastguard HQ at Brixham, Devon, last Saturday. The RSPCA had decided to honour those involved with 'Certificates of Merit' for their efforts in rescuing two Common dolphins from Brixham harbour on the 31st July this year. ( see the August 03 news page on the website for a full report click HERE ). RSPCA Chief Inspector Neil Thomas read an account of the rescue and we watched a minute of TV footage supplied by the BBC. Certificates of Merit were awarded to the following ; HM Coastguard - Brixham RNLI - Torbay Inshore Lifeboat Crew David Hickman - Torbay & Dartmouth Powerboat School Niall Ingham - individual who volunteered use of his R.I.B. ( 16yrs ) Canoe Instructors Jim Smith, Andy Jago and the IBEX Canoe Club, Brixham RSPCA Inspector/Exmouth BDMLR Co-ordinator Tony Woodley ( me ) British Divers Marine Life Rescue - the whole organisation BDMLR Marine Mammal Medics ; Dave McDonald, Janet Bailey, Gemma Barker, Pete Marten, Rachel Smith, Melanie Hinde, Jane Fletcherpeters and Howard Rushton. It was great that all the Medics involved were at the ceremony. Well done everyone ! Tony. Here's a pic of all those who received an award. Experts look into death of fur seals 17th December DECOMPOSED seal pups found washed up on the south-west coastline this week are probably from Australia's largest fur seal colony at Lady Julia Percy Island, experts said yesterday. Fifty two pups, no older than four weeks, were found at Childer's Cove, west of Peterborough on Monday. Melbourne Zoo veterinarian Dr Michael Lynch, who attended the scene, said rough weather during the past two weeks may have caused the seals to be tipped off the colony's rocks. "When something like this occurs we always test for things such as toxins in the water," he said. "There was also a suggestion in this case that seismic testing could have been to blame but we think it is most likely they have been washed off rocks and drowned at sea when they were still too young to swim." Dr Lynch said seals usually gave birth in late November or early December and the pups generally learnt to swim aged about six weeks. "The only way we will know is if people come across them while they are walking along the beach and report that to us," he said. "We found 52 dead pups but because of the rugged nature of the coastline there is every possibility that more will be discovered." Dr Lynch said he had conducted a post mortem on the least decomposed seal but did not expect test results to be returned for about a week. He said if more seals washed up on beaches, it would be wise for a team to go to the island to find if anything unusual was happening. Ecologist at Deakin University's Burwood campus John Arnold said such deaths were not unusual in areas with strong seas and low-lying shores. "If it were adults and juveniles then there might be something to become concerned about." ( source : www.the.standard.net.au ) Cooperative is monitoring Luna over the winter Tribes, Canada and the U.S. are watching over the killer whale 16th December Luna, the U.S.-born killer whale who's spent two years alone in Canada's Nootka Sound, is being monitored over the winter by fisheries agents with help from local Indians, police and residents, Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans said yesterday. The U.S. and Canadian governments are cooperating in an effort to reunite the 4-year-old male orca next spring with its family, L-pod, which spends much of the year chasing salmon near the San Juan Islands. In recent weeks, the fisheries department said in a news release, Luna has been wandering throughout the sound to forage for food -- moving away from the dock at Gold River where it had become somewhat of a tourist attraction last summer. Luna "was reported interacting with some of the local sea lions," the release said. The agency has been working with its U.S. counterpart, the National Marine Fisheries Service, to determine the best means and timetable for moving Luna. The agencies also have been consulting with a panel of experts formed to guide that effort and the successful 2002 move of another young killer whale. Officials had hoped Luna would reconnect with its family on his own, but that has not happened. It has spent much of the past two years deep in Nootka Sound on the west side of Vancouver Island. The decision to move it was made this year as its approaches to boats and seaplanes posed increasing risks. The whale also learned to disable boats, which irritated sports anglers. The winter monitoring program is being led by local fisheries officers in cooperation with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Mowachat/Muchalaht First Nation and supportive residents. The U.S. and Canadian fisheries agencies worked together in summer 2002 to move another young orca -- a 2-year-old female called Springer -- back to Canadian waters from busy Puget Sound, where it had wandered after its mother died. That effort was deemed a success when Springer returned to Canada's inland waters with her family last summer. Luna's situation is a little different. It's older and its mother, still alive, has a new calf. The region's killer whale pods -- known as the northern and southern resident populations -- are fish-eaters that spend months in the waters between Vancouver Island and the inland U.S. and Canadian coasts. It is not known where they spend winters, though they've been seen off California and Alaska. The population of the U.S. group has dwindled from an estimated high of 125 animals to 84 today, including Luna, as it struggles with pollution, human encroachment and dwindling salmon runs. NMFS declared the group a "depleted" population in 2002, which allows for more study. ( source : www.seattlepi.nwsource.com ) Keiko, the outcast of the seas, dies of pneumonia 13th December THE killer whale Keiko, who starred in the film Free Willy and then answered his own call of the wild after 23 years in captivity, has died in the Norwegian fjord where he sought his last refuge. The orca finally succumbed at the age of 27 to an illness more commonly associated with the humans whose company he craved: pneumonia. In the movie the magnificent creature leapt to freedom over a harbour wall to cheers from cinema audiences around the world. The reality was much different. After filming, Keiko — whose name means “lucky one” in Japanese — was sent back to languish in tepid, shallow water in a rusty tank at an aquarium on the edge of Mexico City. But the same cinemagoers responded in their thousands to a freephone number in the closing titles of the film to raise money to help him. Warner Brothers, the film studio that made the 1993 movie, gave £3m to provide a new home in Oregon where Keiko was nursed back to health in a tank where his creature comforts included a widescreen television on which he “watched” videos of Riverdance. He was then flown to Iceland where he was first captured as a calf in 1978 and put in a pen to prepare for his release into the ocean. His handlers were even told to avoid eye contact with him in the hope of breaking his bond with mankind as they tried to teach him to catch fish. When the moment came to free him, he did not want to leave. His carers tried to lure him by throwing fish from a small boat as it headed out to sea, but he turned round and followed the boat back to shore. Finally he swam out on his own accord to join a pod of killer whales in July of last year and then, tracked by a satellite transmitter attached to his body, swam for 800 miles across the Atlantic, catching his own fish. But after arriving seven weeks later in Norway he reverted to the need for both human companionship and free handouts of frozen herring. Children swam with him in the fjord. Lars Olav Lilleboe, a consultant to the council at Halsa, where he spent his last 15 months, said: “People are very sad. He was the biggest thing to happen to Halsa.” Erich Hoyt, the author of Orca: The Whale Called Killer, said: “He caught the imagination of the people who saw the film and the idea was to make the story come true. In the end it did play out.” ( source : www.timesonline.co.uk ) See also : Keiko, of 'Free Willy' fame, buried in secret ceremony in Norway click on this link : CLICK HERE
	22nd December Hi all, Here are all the captions submitted for the 2003 Christmas Caption Competition .... great to hear from so many of you ! Jacqui and I have judged the entries and here are the results ; The winner is : Gill Sanders ( wins a BDMLR Fleece ! ) 2nd - Pete Marten ( wins a BDMLR keyring ! ) 3rd - Yvonne Miles ( wins a BDMLR keyring ! ) Thanks to all those who entered ... look out for a monthly caption competition coming soon in 2004. Get those brain cells ready ! Merry Christmas, Tony Woodley Exmouth BDMLR Rescue/Training Co-ordinator BDMLR OnLine -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Christmas Caption Competition - Result *"After a long struggle in icy waters, the trainees are now qualified to rescue floating inflatable objects."* ------------------------------------------------------------------- Gill Sanders IFAW "After a long struggle in icy waters, the trainees are now qualified to rescue floating inflatable objects." ( 1st ) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yvonne Miles 1. And it's a hat trick for the Falklands! 2. Billy Bunter's Christmas appreciation society 3. Santa's little helpers deliver a whale of a present ( 3rd ) 4. Who said reindeer had to have antlers! 5. Gosh! what a difference a year makes, a pontoon instead of sledge, MMO's to pull and father Christmas having a whale of a time! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Simon Rogerson Editor - DIVE magazine Apologies for the serious lapse of taste, but... 'Hold it still, and I'll get the wasabi sauce!' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Steve Vernon 1 - SANTA'S GNOMES ACCUSED OF PERVERSION WITH BLOW UP WHALE! 2 - WHALE JUDGE COLLAPSES AT TELLY TUBBY AUDITIONS ! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hayley Trehearn 'oops we've been spotted!' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- James Bauer What time did you say the pub opened again????? Does anyone know how to start this odd looking rib???? ..... we'll never all fit on it either... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jacqui Woodley Guess who didn't get the memo ? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pete Marten "Do you think they'll notice that the whale isn't real?" .... "just shut up and keep smiling" ( 2nd ) or Medic in Black: "I hope no one notices I've just peed myself, though it is nice and warm, mmm toasty." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sally Hessey "Who invited the penguin on the right ?" or "Who's knitting the whale a hat for Christmas ?" 24th December Hi all, Here's the latest from around the U.K. I've had a 'look' around the globe but can find no recent cetacean stories. I hope that you have found the BDMLR News interesting, informative and sometimes amusing over the last year ? ... it's a pleasure to keep in touch with you all .... now over 360 members worldwide .... U.K., U.S., New Zealand, Australia, Falkland Islands, Malta, Spain, Germany ... hope I've not forgotten anybody ? I hope that you have a very Merry Christmas and that 2004 is a great year for you all ! Cheers, Tony. Tony Woodley Exmouth BDMLR Rescue/Training Co-ordinator BDMLR OnLine Essex Medics Receive Awards On Friday 12th December the team of medics that attended the porpoise rescue in Colchester, back in May, were awarded a commendation from the RSPCA. Inspector Jim Farr gave an account of the rescue and a member of the RSPCA Colchester branch presented us with our commendations. Those that received a commendation were James Barnett, Lucie Kirk, Duane Kirk, Leon Woodrow, Andy Rutson Edwards and Faye Archell. A huge well done to everyone. Give yourselves a pat on the back!! Faye Archell* BDMLR Essex Co-ordinator ( * BDMLR Director and Vet, BDMLR National Co-ordinator ) Left to right : Andy Rutson-Edwards, Leon Woodrow, Duane Kirk, Lucy Kirk, Faye Archell Devon Stranding ..... well not quite ..... 23rd December Today at 13.30hrs I received a call from Iris Knoop at BDMLR HQ informing me that a call had been received, via the WDCS, that there was a stranded "small whale" at Taunton in Devon. For those of you who know Taunton, you can imagine my surprise at this revelation when Taunton is entirely land-locked with the nearest coastline over 30 miles away !?? Anyway, after a call to the MOP at the scene, windsurfer Dave Wayland, I narrowed it down to Saunton Sands on the North Devon coast. His description was of a 5ft long, dark coloured "baby whale". It had been 'refloated' twice by the surfers and I gave him First Aid advice and suggested the 'whale' not be pushed out again until it had been assessed by an experienced person. Iris, at BDMLR HQ, started to 'scramble' Medics in Devon and I called Medic Diana Lewis who works throughout North Devon. RSPCA Inspector Kate Smith also made her way north. When Diana arrived she could find no trace of a 'whale' on this large beach but did find the windsurfers who explained that, after the animal had shown some very strong swimming actions, they had decided to have one more go to free it from the gently shelving beach. This time the animal had been seen to swim off strongly and by nightfall, at about 16.30hrs, no trace had been seen/found of the animal. Myself and Medic, Andy Pittway, had dashed to collect the Rescue Ambulance from Exmouth Fire Station and got as far as the Jurassic Coast Dive Centre ( www.jcdiving.co.uk ) to collect air cylinders ... when we got called off. After speaking to Dave Wayland again it sounds like it was probably a Harbour Porpoise or possible a juvenile Pilot whale. Dave is going to look at some I.D. pictures and get back to me. Many thanks to all those who responded ..... Arie & Marilyn den Hollander, Mark Ford, Andy Pittway, Diana Lewis, James Bauer and James Barnett ( on the phone ). Sorry if I've missed anyone off. As soon as I have any more info about the species, I'll let you know. Cheers, Tony Woodley** Exmouth BDMLR Rescue/Training Co-ordinator BDMLR OnLine Ps. If anyone did see a whale at Taunton ...... please let me know ! Seal pup recovers in museum’s new digs - Virginia 20th December When an ailing, 44-pound harbor seal pup turned up on the shore of False Cape State Park this week, he had no idea he was about to become the first long-term tenant at the city’s marine stranding center. “Kingston,” rescued after a call from a park ranger, is getting antibiotics, vitamin supplements and all the herring he can eat at the Virginia Marine Science Museum’s stranding facility at the Oceanfront. Named for Kingston Elementary School in honor of its “Knee Deep in the Chesapeake” Club, the young seal is the first to strand this winter — and the 17th of the year, a record for the center. Typically the team rescues two or three seals a season. Veterinary technician Wendy Walton has high hopes for Kingston, suffering from what she described as a version of the flu. Young harbor seals, who are weaned after a month and then fend for themselves, don’t have moms to bring them chicken soup, Walton said. So it’s not unusual for sick seals like Kingston to end up on the beach, out of sorts. “Without jinxing ourselves, his prognosis looks great so far,” Walton said. “He’s a pretty tough little guy.” After two days in their care, the seal’s lethargy was gone and the lesion on his cornea looked better, too, she said. If Kingston had been rescued last year, he probably wouldn’t be spending more than a few days in Virginia Beach. Until now, seals were given emergency care at the center, then moved to more spacious facilities to finish rehab. But thanks to a $182,000 grant this year from the National Marine Fisheries Service, the center is finishing construction on a long-term care area for seals. Instead of staying in a plastic holding area with a small pool to cavort in, Kingston will be the first to explore a larger tank and laze around on a bigger “haul out” area. “They can take a month or two to turn around, and it’s not fair to them, it’s so small,” Walton said of the old accommodations. Kingston probably will recuperate in three or four weeks, and then Walton hopes to return him to the wild off the Virginia coast, which would be another first for the stranding center. For now, though, the stranding team is enjoying mothering the pup, who they estimate is less than a year old. Though showered with good vibes, food and medicine, mostly he’s left alone so he doesn’t get too accustomed to human voices and contact. With searching, coal-black eyes and a spotted gray coat, the seal pup seems cute enough to hug. But Walton emphasizes that looks can be deceiving: He’s a wild animal with a vicious bite, and could be carrying diseases such as herpes. Walton encourages anyone who sees a seal to stay away. If the animal appears to be in trouble, call the stranding center. Don’t try to play with seals, she said, and keep pets away for the same reasons. “As far as they’re concerned, we’re predators, and we want them to stay that way,” she said. After a late afternoon feeding and a dose of antibiotics to heal his cornea and ulcerations on his mouth, Kingston lolled in his crate behind a wall of pastel shower curtains. Back in their office, Walton and the other caregivers watched him scratching and stretching, via a black-and-white television monitor that is on a closed-circuit feed. Christina Trapani, the center’s sea turtle coordinator, massaged her thumbs. She’d been one of three people who pinned Kingston down on a mattress while he got his medicine, and after several long minutes holding a blue towel tightly around his neck, her fingers were sore. Though turtles are her specialty, Trapani had a quick answer when asked how many seals the center nursed back to health and returned to the wild this year. “Twelve plus Kingston,” she said, already projecting a happy new year for the harbor pup. ( source : www.hamptonroads.com )
	27th December Happy Christmas ! Here is a report from BDMLR volunteers in Scotland who have been kept busy over the festive period. Cheers, Tony Woodley Exmouth BDMLR Rescue/Training Co-ordinator BDMLR OnLine Christmas Eve Pups For BDMLR Montrose Christmas eve kept the Montrose Group of BDMLR Busy, with call outs to 3 pups. Medics Elaine Roft and Bob Pert arrived at the first pup to find a very friendly fully moulted grey. The pup had been observed by members of the public who were concerned that it had stayed in the same spot for 2 days and hadn't moved. This pup named "Sandy" was very healthy, very friendly towards the public and dogs! and was in good shape all round. The public will continue to monitor over the Festive period and report back if there is a change at all.It was decided to leave the pup where it was as it was in a sheltered bay, and although frequented by dog walkers, they pose no threat and are keen to carry on with observations reporting back to the medics. Pup number 2, named "David" after the local person who reported it, was further South from the first pup. This semi moulted grey had been on the high tide mark for a day, possibly two with no mother present. The pup was moved to higher ground where an examination was carried out. Temperature was normal, but the pup was very thin, the gums were almost white in colour and the eyes were weepy with a discharge coming from the nose. Being Christmas Eve,and not sure of medic availability, the medics decided to transport the seal pup directly to Rehabilitation facilities at New Deer without doing a change over with BDMLR Fraserburgh at Balmeddie. Lawrence immediately prepared rehydration fluids and fish soup for his new patient. Pup number 3, was a grey, attended by Medic Darryl White.This pup was further North from the first pup attended. It was healthy, active and alert and made for the water on arrival at the scene. Members of the public will continue to monitor over the Festive period and report back to the Medics with any further news. Sincere thanks to Brian, David, Jim and Simon for their telephone communications, vigils and continuing observations. Elaine Roft - BDMLR Montrose Area Co-ordinator Luna lingers for another year in Nootka Sound Push for reunion increases after orca receives injuries from human interaction 24th December Luna, the orphaned orca, will be ringing in another new year in British Columbia's Nootka Sound. The 4-year-old orca appeared on the scene in summer 2001 and has lingered on the west coast of Vancouver Island, entertaining and sometimes irritating folks with his penchant for people and their boats. His relatives, meanwhile, have been migrating around the San Juans, Puget Sound and out to the coast. Luna reportedly likes having his tongue scratched and nudging boats. He even towed one vessel that ran out of gas -- away from shore, unfortunately. But the interactions have come at a cost. This summer, Luna received multiple cuts, some likely caused by boats. At least two people have been fined by a Canadian judge for petting the killer whale, and another awaits a court date for allegedly hitting the whale with a piece of wood. While he still appears to be in good health, people have become increasingly concerned for his well-being. They're continuing to push for Luna's return to his pod. "He's wary and still essentially wild, but he does spend a lot of time in relative proximity to human beings," said Marc Pakenham, who for the past two years has overseen the Luna Stewardship Project, financed by Canada's Fisheries and Oceans Department. "That's certainly the No. 1 issue as we attempt the reintroduction process." The stewardship project has monitored the orca and tried to keep people from getting too close. With the rain and cold, the number of visitors has declined, and Luna has been spending more time on his own, said Lara Sloan, spokeswoman for Fisheries and Oceans. Fisheries agents, local Indians, police officers and residents are keeping watch over the killer whale during the winter. This fall, the Canadian government finally decided to try to reunite Luna, also known by his scientific name L-98, with his pod. A few weeks later, officials with the U.S. and Canadian governments each committed to spending about $100,000 to move the orca. But by then the weather had gotten too stormy, and Luna's family was not around. "It's a huge endeavor," Sloan said. "You can't rush that." Now the plan is to try to capture and reconnect Luna with his family this spring, perhaps in April when his pod is likely to be in the area for a couple of months. U.S. and Canadian officials will work together on the reunification. More money is needed. The bill for reuniting another local orphan orca with her family in summer 2002 was about $500,000, mostly in the form of in-kind donations. The orca, Springer, is still with related killer whales and seems to be doing well. Although costly, some say this is a small price to pay to return an orca to its family. The local orca population has declined in recent years and researchers are concerned about the shortage of killer whales of reproductive age. The U.S. government declined to protect the local orcas under the Endangered Species Act last year, but last week a federal judge struck down that decision. There is a hope that reuniting the orcas with their pods will lead to more babies and help maintain the population's genetic diversity. Supporters of Luna's reunification believe there is a good chance that the effort will succeed, in part because his mother is still with the pod. "You would expect him to spend his life with his mother," Pakenham said. "That's what we're hoping." ( source : www.seattlepi.nwsource.com )
	30th December Hi all, Well, here is the last BDMLR News bulletin for 2003. My thanks to all those who have contributed to this and all of the bulletins throughout 2003. As usual, you will find more and larger images concerning the items below, at the BDMLR website 'News' page. I hope that you will all continue to find the BDMLR News interesting and sometimes amusing throughout 2004. Happy New Year ! Cheers, Tony. Tony Woodley Exmouth BDMLR Rescue/Training Co-ordinator BDMLR OnLine Tayforth Medics travel south to assist Northumberland BDMLR - 23rd December At 16.30hrs on Tuesday the 23rd December 2003, Tayforth Coordinator Gareth Norman received a telephone call at his work from Mary Carruthers BDMLR Northumberland Coordinator. Mary and her team had been kept very busy over the previous few days responding to calls from the public reporting seal pups which had been washed up on the coastline after severe storms. Luckily earlier in the year the Northumberland team had raised sufficient funds through sponsorship and donations to open a small and very well equipped Seal Assessment Portakabin in Tynemouth. The unit which has electricity and water has holding pens for up to four pups a Kitchen area and Isolation room had been opened in a baptism of fire due to the number of pups requiring treatment. The previous day the Team had recovered two grey pups 'Boris & Bella' which had been stabilised and received a veterinary check from the local vets with guidance via the telephone from BDMLR Veterinary Director James Barnett. The pup 'Bella' who weighed in at only 10kg had deep cuts to the head, throat, muzzle, tail and hind flippers. The pup 'Boris' weighed 13kg and was very thin with a temperature of 38.4C. These pups obviously needed specialised nursing and were now ready to be transported to a rehabilitation centre and Mary wondered as the RSPCA could not assist whether SSPCA Middlebank had room. Luckily there were pens available. The next problem was transportation, Mary could arrange transport from her end but it would be later the next day. As the condition of the pups was so serious I offered to make the journey south that evening. Upon arrival both Tayforth Volunteers Peter (SSPCA Seal Handler) and Naomi (Vet from Japan) and I carried out a quick assessment of the animals to determine whether they were fit for the three hour journey north. The pups were tube fed Lectade Plus and temperatures taken. After about 45mins with both seals loaded into separate vari kennels we said our goodbyes and set off for Middlebank. We arrived at the centre at about 02.30hrs on the 24th December and settled 'Boris' into his pen and 'Bella' into the isolation unit as she had a greenish discharge from her nose. I would just like to thank both Tayforth volunteers Peter and Naomi for making the 380 mile round trip south with me. Gareth Norman Tayforth BDMLR Coordinator Facilities at Seal Assessment Portakabin - Tynemouth Seal rescue, St. Ives, Cornwall. - 23rd December On Tuesday 23rd December, Medics Dave and Lesley Jarvis and myself were called out at about 4pm by co-ordinator Tim Bain to assist in the rescue of a Grey Seal pup at St. Ives. It had first been seen, alone, at about 2:30pm in a rocky area, and the people who had first seen it were still there watching it and stayed throughout the rescue. They reported that it had not moved much since the first sighting. Upon our arrival, it was obvious that with the rough sea and incoming tide, it very likely that the pup would be badly injured or killed once the sea reached it. Tim had already been in contact with the National Seal Sanctuary. Tim, Dave and Lesley climbed down the rocks to assess the pup’s condition. They discovered it to be thin, but otherwise apparently unhurt. In the meantime, Medic Simon Money and myself waited on the flat ground above with the cage in case it was needed. The decision was made to rescue the seal due to the danger of the injuries the waves would cause it, and with that, the cage was brought down to the seal. Tim wrapped a towel over it and placed it in the cage, and then between the five of us, carried the cage back up to the top of the rocks, where it was given a more thorough assessment, albeit by torchlight since it was now dark. Aside from being malnourished, it also had wounds on its flank and neck, possibly bite wounds, which would need to be treated. After talking to staff at the National Seal Sanctuary, Tim and Dave transported the seal to the Sanctuary, where it was taken to the hospital and tended to. It was named ‘Vine’ by the staff. Thanks to everyone involved in this rescue, and also to the couple who reported it, as the seal would surely have not survived in the incoming tide if it had the BDMLR not been called in. Dan Jarvis - Marine Mammal Medic Fin whale stranding - France 28th December On Sunday, December 28th 2003, a Fin whale stranded on the beach in the Audierne bay on the Western coast of France. Samples were taken from the whale and researchers think that this animal stranded due to a navigation mistake which might have been caused by a storm in the area, a couple of days beforehand. ( Thanks to Liz Sandeman of the Marine Connection for this item ) STRANDED WHALE RESCUED, RELEASED TO SEA BEHIND BALI HOTEL 30th December A four-meter-long whale which was stranded on the beach behind the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Badung district, Bali, on Tuesday, was rescued and released into the sea a few hours later. The giant fish was found stranded at 05:00 hours local time by a hotel gardener and a number of hotel staffers along with some foreign tourists staying at the hotel. Policemen later pulled it free and into deeper water, Trami Pratiwi, assistant manager of Grand Hyatt Hotel`s public relations, said here on Tuesday. At first, the policemen failed to move the mammal`s body because the sea water had ebbed. Then, to prevent the whale from perishing by dehydration, they dug a pool in the sand and also poured sea water on its body. ( source : www.antara.co.id ) Tangled dolphin set free in Southern Australia 29th December A tired and hungry baby dolphin swam free after rescuers untangled it from rope and fishing line in Adelaide's Port River. The 10-month-old dolphin, named Jumper, had a fishing hook in her mouth and was tangled in fishing line and three-metres of heavy rope when dolphin watchers spotted her on Saturday. Jumper and her mother, Crinkletop, were caught in a net so that rescuers could untangle the young dolphin before setting the pair free. "We released them straight away and they swam off in a big hurry," Australian Dolphin Research Foundation marine biologist Mike Bossley said. "The dolphin didn't have any major wounds. "It just had an abrasion where the rope had been rubbing on it and a mark where the hook was. "The rope was quite thick and it would have been tiring her out. "If we hadn't seen her she would have died of exhaustion and starvation." Another dolphin in the Port River tangled in about 30cm of fishing line would be closely monitored but, because of the small amount of line, would not be freed at this stage. It was hoped the line would untangle itself without intervention, Dr Bossley said. The Port River dolphins are the world's only urban dolphin pod. In the past few years, some Adelaide dolphins have been shot, stabbed and speared. About two dolphins a year were found tangled in fishing line, Dr Bossley said. ( source : www.theage.com.au ) [ click on HERE to find out more about the Port River Dolphins ]