February 2003

News Items and Rescues

February 2002 News

Job Vacancy - U.S.
Thursday 27th

Facility Manager Position

Whale euthanased after stranding
Thursday 27th

A "really sick" whale was euthanized Wednesday after stranding itself near the luxury hotels on Vanderbilt Beach

Baby dolphin recovering from burns - U.S
Thursday 27th

Hi all,

I have agreed to dye my hair red with permanent dye for red nose day this year and was wondering if anyone would sponsor me. I am happy to supply pictures of the 'Barnett barnet' on the day in question to prove that I did it! If any potential sponsors could e mail me that would be great. Alan ( BDMLR Director ) was happy about me doing this - I hope you are!

Cheers,

... and another !!!
Thursday 27th

For Red Nose Day (14th March) I shall be dying my hair BRIGHT RED and keeping it that way for a month.

The plan is to have my hair dyed next week before the Dive Show so that I can prove I've actually gone through with it and give everyone a good laugh at my expense!

So if you'd like to see me walking round looking like a Swan Match for the next month or if your just feeling charitable hang onto some of your loose change as I will be looking for sponsors!

Many Thanks
Lucie White
National Co-ordinator British Divers Marine Life Rescue
Email: lucie@bdmlr.org.uk

Forth Humpback Whale - Full Report
Thursday 27th

For a full report and further photos of this recent item, got to : http://www.crru.org.uk/rescue/news/forth.htm

Island Wildlife Natural Care Centre is a registered not for profit organization operating under permits from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Environment Canada and the Ministry of Water, Land and Air. Recipient of the Islands Trust Environmental Stewardship Award, IWNCCs focus is on the rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned Harbour Seals.

Safe rescue and handling of Harbour Seal pups.
Proper restraint techniques.
Stabilizing critical patients and new arrivals.
Food preparation through all stages of the rehabilitation process.
Gavage (tube) feeding, force feeding and hand feeding techniques.
Proper hygiene and isolation protocols to prevent the spread of disease.
Administration of oral medications.
Behavioral and medical observation and proper record keeping.
Natural history of marine mammal species.
Fundamentals of how, why and when to administer alternative remedies such as homeopathy and Chinese herbs.
Response to the rescue hotline and public interface as well as the logistics of coordinating rescues from many remote locations.
General care of many other indigenous avian and mammalian species.

Request For Info - Mass Stranding Exercises
Thursday 13th

As Marine Mammal Medics the importance of keeping our training up to date is obvious, an excellent way of doing this is by holding Mass Stranding Exercise. Mass Stranding Exercises can also be wonderful opportunities to promote BDMLR and its cause. And of course not forgetting that they are a great way to get to know your local medics and have fun!

I have been asked by the directors if we can possibly organise a mass stranding per month around the country. Obviously this is no small task but it will have a very positive influence on our ability to deal with real life strandings.

Request For Info - Vets With Cetacean Experience
Thursday 13th

After I rather hectic Christmas morning ringing round to try to find people to attend an Orca stranding near Grimsby (the animal managed to refloat itself before medics were able to attend, but not before the local police had confirmed that the animal was there and was not a hoax!). It has been agreed that it would be useful to compile a list of vets around the country with knowledge and if possible experience of seal / dolphin strandings.

I'd be very grateful if you could forward me the names and contact details for any such vets you know or have used during any strandings.

Many Thanks

Talk on Cetacean By-Catch: CORNWALL
Thursday 13th

As many of you will know, here in the South West we have had a huge number of dead stranded dolphins recently. In January, 79 animals were found on beaches in Cornwall alone and local fishermen have recently reported seeing dozens more floating in the sea.

PDV Survivors Released
Thursday 13th

Just to let you know that my dad, who lives in Snettisham in Norfolk, reported that East Winch ( RSPCA Wildlife Hospital ) took a few surviving seals to the beach for release today.

Sperm Whale Stranding - Norfolk U.K.
Thursday 13th

A 15 metre long female sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) stranded at the mouth of the River Ouse near Kings Lynn, Norfolk on Friday the 24 January. Apparently the dead whale is still present on Brest Sands in the Wash.

A post-mortem was carried out on Sunday and the whale had injuries consistent with a ship collision. In Norfolk this species was not recorded throughout the 20th century until a male stranded at Wells in November 1986. There have been 4 subsequent strandings to date and this is the first female to be recorded.

Exmouth BDMLR Group - Meeting/Social
Thursday 13th

It's about time that we all got together again .... isn't it ? There is refresher training needing to be done as well as at least two Medic Courses to arrange in Devon.

If you are anywhere in Devon and would like to come along to meet others in BDMLR, 'check out' are current equipment and have a beer ! .... drop me a line and suggest somewhere we could all meet up .... preferably in the Exmouth area and maybe a pub !!

Do you prefer evening or afternoon ( weekend ) ?

Here are a few dates to suggest .... let me know which are your 1st and 2nd choices and we'll go with the date we can get the most of us together on : FEB - 28. MARCH - 2, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16.

Hope to hear from you all soon !

Tony

BDMLR Phone Number - Changing
Thursday 13th

Rescued whale recovers in hotel pool
Thursday 13th

Florida -- A rescued pygmy sperm whale was recovering Friday in a resort hotel's heated saltwater pool, being treated for dehydration and wounds possibly inflicted by a harpoon.

January 03	February 03	March 03	April 03	May 03	June 03
July 03	Aug 03	Sept 03	Oct 03	Nov 03	Dec 03

		February 2002 News
	Job Vacancy - U.S. Thursday 27th Facility Manager Position "The Northcoast Marine Mammal Center in Crescent City, California, is seeking applications for a full time Marine Mammal Rehabilitation Center Facility Manager. The position will be the sole paid position, and will be under the direct supervision of the attending Veterinarian and the Board of Directors. Applicants must have a good working knowledge of marine mammal rehabilitation, primarily pinnipeds. They must also have excellent volunteer management skills and grant writing abilities. Salary will be $31,200 anually plus benefits. Please send Resume and CV to Dennis R. Wood DVM, e-mail WOODX8@aol.com, by March 1, 2003." http://www.northcoastmarinemammal.org/
	Whale euthanased after stranding Thursday 27th A "really sick" whale was euthanized Wednesday after stranding itself near the luxury hotels on Vanderbilt Beach The 20-foot sperm whale was in too poor a condition for stranding experts to try to save, said Margie Barlas of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "It was really sick," she said. "It would have been inhumane to have tried moving it to deeper water" and it was too large to consider bringing it in for treatment somewhere. Experts from the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota euthanized the whale, which will be dragged ashore for a Thursday necropsy to try to determine why it beached, Barlas said. Meanwhile, a sick pygmy sperm whale rescued off the Florida Keys was showing steady signs of progress after 28 days of treatment, its keepers reported Wednesday. The 11-foot whale, nicknamed Kokomo, was once near death and required 24-hour handling to keep it afloat. But it is now eating solid food - squid - and is swimming and diving on its on in a tidal pool maintained by the Marine Mammal Conservancy of Key Largo. It's still too early to determine a potential release date for Kokomo, said Conservancy president Robert Lingenfelser. ( Source : www.heraldtribune.com )
	Baby dolphin recovering from burns - U.S Thursday 27th After barely surviving a beaching, sunburn and the death of its mother, Nicholas is definitely doing better.The baby dolphin brought to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in December with third-degree burns near its head is eating solid food and is no longer quarantined. Now all the scientists have to do is keep him infection-free and eating solid food for the next six months. "He's still got more healing to do," said Dennis Kellenberger, executive director of the aquarium, which specializes in research and rehabilitation of marine animals. "He's still got at least six months healing given the damage." The dolphin and its mother, Noelle, were burned when they beached in 8-inch-deep water off Bullfrog Creek on the Hillsborough County side of Tampa Bay. Anglers found the dolphins, which were taken to the Clearwater facility on Christmas Eve. Dolphins, unlike humans, cannot take extended periods of direct sunlight. From a distance, it looks as though several layers of Nicholas' skin sizzled off, leaving only a pulpy-looking mass of white and yellow flesh streaked with blood. Noelle died Dec. 27 from infections connected to her burns. Nicholas was still nursing. That's when the aquarium called in help from other aquariums and consulted a human burn specialist. They created a milk substitute for the dolphin and started working to weaning it off milk. ( Photo : The sunburned area on Nicholas' back is healing. ) Now the baby dolphin's head is starting to heal. Scabs are beginning to form, and the dolphin is playing with oversize plastic balls thrown into its pool. The foot-long wound covering its head must be scrubbed every day. It takes about five people to catch and hold it still while a doctor cleans the wound and draws blood from the dolphin's tail. The doctors are checking for an increase in white blood cells, which would indicate infection. But so far, so good. The little guy is showing some character now. After being released by the five volunteers, it swims around its pool, spitting water into the air and making a whuffing noise. That action means the dolphin is upset. "We do know he doesn't like being held still," said Dr. Robin Moore, who drew blood from Nicholas on Monday afternoon. "But he'll still come over when we finish scrubbing." The dolphin, which came to the aquarium weighing 120 pounds, lost weight at first because its mother died. Aquarium officials say the dolphin is now back to around 116 pounds. Nicholas no longer requires 24-hour supervision. It is too early to determine whether the dolphin can be returned to the wild. ( An interesting/concerning point ?. Tony ) ( Source : www.sptimes.com )
	BDMLR Medics Qualify on Power Boat Course Thursday 27th Tayforth Medics Gareth Norman, Nick Duthie, Elaine Roft, Alan Brunton and Helen Proven underwent a 2 day course at Ancrum Outdoor Activity Centre in Dundee on 22nd and 23rd February 2003. These medics have now gained their RYA 2 Powerboat handling certificates. It is hoped that the remainder of the medics who were unable to attend the first session will be able to carry out their training which is scheduled for March. We are already looking at the prospects of doing the next level of the course sometime this year. Will keep you all posted with our progression. Elaine Roft BDMLR - Tayforth
	'Red Nose Day' Mania !!! Thursday 27th Hi all, I have agreed to dye my hair red with permanent dye for red nose day this year and was wondering if anyone would sponsor me. I am happy to supply pictures of the 'Barnett barnet' on the day in question to prove that I did it! If any potential sponsors could e mail me that would be great. Alan ( BDMLR Director ) was happy about me doing this - I hope you are! Cheers, James Barnett Director and veterinary surgeon British Divers Marine Life Rescue ( James@bdmlr.org.uk)
	... and another !!! Thursday 27th For Red Nose Day (14th March) I shall be dying my hair BRIGHT RED and keeping it that way for a month. The plan is to have my hair dyed next week before the Dive Show so that I can prove I've actually gone through with it and give everyone a good laugh at my expense! So if you'd like to see me walking round looking like a Swan Match for the next month or if your just feeling charitable hang onto some of your loose change as I will be looking for sponsors! Many Thanks Lucie White National Co-ordinator British Divers Marine Life Rescue Email: lucie@bdmlr.org.uk
	Forth Humpback Whale - Full Report Thursday 27th For a full report and further photos of this recent item, got to : http://www.crru.org.uk/rescue/news/forth.htm
	BDMLR gives donation to Peruvian dolphin campaign Thursday 27th I'm pleased to inform everyone that BDMLR has been able to support a campaign to document the hunting of dolphins along the coast of Peru. The donation of $500US has been made on behalf of you, the membership, in response to a plea for funds from MUNDO AZUL via it's Executive Director, Stefan Austermhle. Stefan is trying to draw the worlds, and especially Peru's, attention to the killing of hundreds of dolphins by fishermen. Peruvian TV and the media generally have become interested in the story but, as Peru is a poor country, they cannot fund the filming etc. It seems amazing but Stefan has costed the process of making the documentary at $2000US. This seems amazing! So on, your behalf, the Directors have wired $500 to Stefan this week. I hope to be able to raise some more funds at a later date for this worthwhile cause and Stefan has promised to send images to help make this easier. BDMLR only gives a few donations to other groups, we are not a wealthy organisation ourselves but if you visit MUNDO AZUL's web site www.peru.com/mundozul you will see why we felt we could help make a difference. Anyone who would like to make a personal donation should do this via the office, that way we can minimise the bank charges by sending one transfer. I suggest you send a cheque payable to BDMLR to the office, where we can collect it all together. make sure your email address is included so we can pass them onto Stefan, who I'm sure would like to thank you himself. I'll leave the final words to Stefan: Dear Alan Knight, James Barnett, Mark Stevens and Geoff Hammock I just received an email from Mary Stuart, telling me that British Divers Marine Life Rescue is going to support Mundo Azuls campaign for the conservation of dolphins with a "sizeable donation". Whatever that means, I would like to thank you very much. Whatever help is needed and very welcome, especially from your organization. Best wishes to all, see some of you at Dive Show on 1/2 March .. Make sure your raffle tickets are returned ASAP!! Mark Stevens Director BDMLR
	Beamer could be identified by its tail - US university asked to help Thursday 20th MARINE experts are turning to an American university in the hope of identifying a humpback whale that has taken up residence in the Firth of Forth. The 39ft adult whale is believed to have spent at least a week in the Forth, a particularly unusual location for humpbacks, possibly drawn in by an abundance of food. The sex of the whale is not yet known but it has been nicknamed Beamer as it was first spotted near Beamer Rock. A humpback mother and calf were spotted in Aberdeenshire last week, a possible link with the Forth's latest attraction. Identification will establish whether the adult is in fact the same whale or whether they have come from the same pod. The Cetacean Research and Rescue Unit in Banffshire has been monitoring the mammal and is now enlisting the help of the University of Maine on the east coast of the US, which they hope can identify Beamer through photographs of its tail. As each whale has a unique tail, identification can be made by comparing size, shape, markings, colouring and scars. The university will compare photographs of Beamer's tail with another 8000 in its North Atlantic catalogue. Dr. Kevin Robinson, director of the CRRU and National strandings co-ordinator for the British Divers Marine Life Rescue in Scotland, said: "This whale has a very distinctive tail. If we manage to identify Beamer, it will give us information about this whale's migratory route so we can find out how far it has come. "Humpbacks are more usually found along the continental shelf off the West Coast of Scotland, so this is certainly a rare sighting for this area, but a wonderful opportunity nonetheless to see the species in these northeast waters ." Dr Robinson said Beamer may have come into the Forth because of a prevalence of food or it could be using the fresh water to rid itself of parasites. "Whales can carry quite a burden of seawater parasites which can't tolerate fresh water," he said. "There is some evidence that these marine creatures will in fact enter estuarine waters to clean themselves of this burden. However, Beamer has also been seen lunge feeding, so there must be an appreciable food supply for the whale in the deep Forth channel which is up to 80 metres in places." Beamer appears to be healthy but Dr Robinson pointed out that, like ourselves, whales can also become sick or diseased, and there is always the possibility that the animal could become stranded. Behavioural data collected by Dr Robinson and his team, however, suggested that the whale was behaving quite normally and raised no immediate concerns for its welfare. He said whales had very good navigation skills, meaning Beamer was unlikely to collide with ships in the busy firth, but added that the whale would be monitored regularly by the team. Beamer has been spotted at various points along the Forth, including the stretch under the bridge. The latest sighting was yesterday afternoon east of Inchkeith island. A spokesman for Forth Navigation, which monitors shipping in the estuary, said: "We have had a number of calls giving sightings of the whale since last week. If we become aware that a vessel is in the area where it was last sighted we will warn them but it seems to have a good notion of the ships which are about." Colin Aston, who runs Seafari wildlife trips, said: "There is a lot more marine life in the Forth than people think. Last November we saw a 30ft basking shark and we had a dolphin which stayed three years. "The river is dramatically cleaner since legislation stopped raw sewage being pumped in about 10 years ago, so there is a lot more food about." ( Edited from The Herald, 18 Feb 2003 ) For more information about the biology and natural history of the humpbackwhale, visit: http://www.crru.org.uk/education/factfiles/hback.htm
	Seal Rescue/Rehab Internship - Canada Thursday 20th Island Wildlife Natural Care Centre is a registered not for profit organization operating under permits from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Environment Canada and the Ministry of Water, Land and Air. Recipient of the Islands Trust Environmental Stewardship Award, IWNCCs focus is on the rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned Harbour Seals. For the sixth year, IWNCC will be offering summer internships. In the past, students have earned academic credit toward their degrees through the completion of these internships and the centre is also open to the creation and execution of short term, non invasive research projects by the interns. To date no publications are available. Besides constantly seeking improved methods for seal rehabilitation, Island Wildlife actively researches and practices alternative medical treatments such as homeopathy, herbal treatments and physical therapies. Numerous articles have been published in various homeopathic journals including the Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association. There will be twelve staggered internships awarded this summer each lasting eight weeks. The internships are on a voluntary basis, however comfortable housing and a food stipend are provided. Interns are accepted internationally and are responsible for their own transportation to and from British Columbia. Interns will work directly under an on site marine mammal veterinarian and rehabilitation specialists and can expect to learn the following: Safe rescue and handling of Harbour Seal pups. Proper restraint techniques. Stabilizing critical patients and new arrivals. Food preparation through all stages of the rehabilitation process. Gavage (tube) feeding, force feeding and hand feeding techniques. Proper hygiene and isolation protocols to prevent the spread of disease. Administration of oral medications. Behavioral and medical observation and proper record keeping. Natural history of marine mammal species. Fundamentals of how, why and when to administer alternative remedies such as homeopathy and Chinese herbs. Response to the rescue hotline and public interface as well as the logistics of coordinating rescues from many remote locations. General care of many other indigenous avian and mammalian species. The deadline for applications is March 15, 2003. For more information and to download an application, please visit our web site at: www.sealrescue.org Island Wildlife Natural Care Centre 322 Langs Road Salt Spring Island, BC V8K1N3 www.sealrescue.org iwncc@aol.com
	He's Mad ...He's Here ... and He's 25 ! And ..... Karen Allen has said she'll marry him ! Kieran's Birthday & Engagement Party At The Queen Victoria pub, Snettisham, Norfolk. Saturday 1st March 7.30pm Live Music with Daffy & the Alien Light Buffet, Bar provided by Queen Vic. All Welcome - The More The Merrier !!!!
	Fight To Save Whale Thursday 20th DIVERS were last night battling to save a humpback whale after yachtsman Richard McKenzie spotted the stricken mammal tangled in nets in the Forth estuary. ( source : www.sundaymail.co.uk )
	Harbour Porpoise Land Based Survey Thursday 13th Hi, this Sunday 16 Feb a land based harbour porpoise survey will take place. Meeting as usual, 9:30 am Brambell Building, 9:45 am CO OP Menai Bridge. Make sure you bring warm clothes, water proof coat and leggings. Bring a pack lunch preferably with a flask of hot soup or tea. If the survey is cancelled due to bad weather an email will be sent on Friday or Saturday so if you cant check your mail please send a contact number. Last survey in January numerous porpoises were seen from Middle Mouse round to Point Lynas. A local sea watcher Dave Powell counted 49 Bottlenose Dolphins of Point Lynas a week last Wednesday. Still plenty to see in spite of the cold weather. Look forward to seeing on Sunday, please send an email if you can make it. *Thanks* All the best Richard, George and Emily info@saveourseas.co.uk
	Request For Info - Mass Stranding Exercises Thursday 13th As Marine Mammal Medics the importance of keeping our training up to date is obvious, an excellent way of doing this is by holding Mass Stranding Exercise. Mass Stranding Exercises can also be wonderful opportunities to promote BDMLR and its cause. And of course not forgetting that they are a great way to get to know your local medics and have fun! I have been asked by the directors if we can possibly organise a mass stranding per month around the country. Obviously this is no small task but it will have a very positive influence on our ability to deal with real life strandings. Obviously the sooner we can set dates for the Mass Strandings the easier it will be in terms of making sure models are available and that dates don’t clash with planned Marine Mammal Medics courses. Neighbouring regional co-ordinators are welcome to “join forces” to organise a mass stranding exercise if this is more practical than everyone organising individually. I would be grateful if you could each let me know your thoughts (and possible dates please) as soon as you can. Many Thanks Lucie White National Co-ordinator British Divers Marine Life Rescue Email: lucie@bdmlr.org.uk
	Request For Info - Vets With Cetacean Experience Thursday 13th After I rather hectic Christmas morning ringing round to try to find people to attend an Orca stranding near Grimsby (the animal managed to refloat itself before medics were able to attend, but not before the local police had confirmed that the animal was there and was not a hoax!). It has been agreed that it would be useful to compile a list of vets around the country with knowledge and if possible experience of seal / dolphin strandings. I'd be very grateful if you could forward me the names and contact details for any such vets you know or have used during any strandings. Many Thanks Lucie White National Co-ordinator British Divers Marine Life Rescue Email: lucie@bdmlr.org.uk
	Talk on Cetacean By-Catch: CORNWALL Thursday 13th As many of you will know, here in the South West we have had a huge number of dead stranded dolphins recently. In January, 79 animals were found on beaches in Cornwall alone and local fishermen have recently reported seeing dozens more floating in the sea. Local BDMLR Medics and other volunteers have been involved in recording these animals to help gather vital data, and in retrieving bodies so that post mortems can be carried out to confirm the cause of death. But more recorders are urgently needed to take measurements, identify and photograph the animals. If you are willing to help with any or all of these tasks, please email me and I will send you the form for forwarding your details to Stella Turk, the Regional Strandings Co-ordinator. Meanwhile, NICK TREGENZA of Seaquest Southwest has kindly offered to give a talk on by-catch for those who want to understand more about how it affects cetacean populations. It will be held at TRURO COLLEGE, THREEMILESTONE, TRURO on MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17th, time and room to be confirmed shortly. The talk is free and all are welcome. If you'd like more information, please contact me at JanL@dial.pipex.com. Jan Loveridge

	PDV Survivors Released Thursday 13th Just to let you know that my dad, who lives in Snettisham in Norfolk, reported that East Winch ( RSPCA Wildlife Hospital ) took a few surviving seals to the beach for release today. Unfortunately they were met with resistance as a man decided to block the road but the men in blue saved the day, apparently he feels that seals threaten his livelihood ?! Its good to know that at least some managed to survive the virus and were released safely. He also said that he often sees seals close to his home and after my report last year attaching those awful photos, its a breath of fresh air to see them on the mend. A good start to 2003, lets hope this virus has gone for good. Kind regards, Dawn Brown Wirral
	Sperm Whale Stranding - Norfolk U.K. Thursday 13th A 15 metre long female sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) stranded at the mouth of the River Ouse near Kings Lynn, Norfolk on Friday the 24 January. Apparently the dead whale is still present on Brest Sands in the Wash. A post-mortem was carried out on Sunday and the whale had injuries consistent with a ship collision. In Norfolk this species was not recorded throughout the 20th century until a male stranded at Wells in November 1986. There have been 4 subsequent strandings to date and this is the first female to be recorded.
	Exmouth BDMLR Group - Meeting/Social Thursday 13th It's about time that we all got together again .... isn't it ? There is refresher training needing to be done as well as at least two Medic Courses to arrange in Devon. If you are anywhere in Devon and would like to come along to meet others in BDMLR, 'check out' are current equipment and have a beer ! .... drop me a line and suggest somewhere we could all meet up .... preferably in the Exmouth area and maybe a pub !! Do you prefer evening or afternoon ( weekend ) ? Here are a few dates to suggest .... let me know which are your 1st and 2nd choices and we'll go with the date we can get the most of us together on : FEB - 28. MARCH - 2, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16. Hope to hear from you all soon ! Tony
	BDMLR Phone Number - Changing Thursday 13th Just to let you know that from the 13th Feb the old* number is redundant. From that date, please use : (01825 765546) If you call the old number, you will be redirected. Mark Stevens Director BDMLR ( * 01634 281680 )
	Rescued whale recovers in hotel pool Thursday 13th Florida -- A rescued pygmy sperm whale was recovering Friday in a resort hotel's heated saltwater pool, being treated for dehydration and wounds possibly inflicted by a harpoon. The 11-foot (3.3-meter), 1,200-pound (540-kilogram) pygmy sperm whale, nicknamed Kokomo, was found stranded on a Florida Keys sandbar earlier in the week and taken to protected waters behind the U.S. Coast Guard station on Islamorada, near Key Largo. Concerned about the cold, caretakers from the Marine Mammal Conservancy later moved him to The Islander Resort, which turned its heated saltwater swimming pool over to the whale's care. Medical examinations showed Kokomo was suffering from anemia, severe dehydration and a suspicious wound just behind its blowhole, said Rick Trout, director of the Conservancy, a Key Largo-based organization which coordinates marine mammal rescues in the Florida Keys. "We're not sure if it's a harpoon or a gaff, but for sure someone tried to spear it," he said. "This could have happened (anywhere) in the Caribbean." While Kokomo is checked in, the saltwater pool is closed to guests, but a freshwater pool is still available. "The guests are happy we are trying to help the whale," said Robin Schlaudecker, the resort's general manager. "Some have even volunteered to assist the conservancy staff with his treatment." The whale, monitored constantly, was being given supplemental drinks and distilled water to combat its dehydration, Maalox to settle its stomach and antibiotics to fight pneumonia and infection. Trout predicted the whale would need at least three weeks of treatment before consideration could be given for its release, assuming it recovers. ( Source : http://europe.cnn.com )