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March 2004 News

 

 

Porpoise Stranding - Felixstowe, Essex

26th February, 2004

On Thursday 26th February I received a call from Kieran Copeland saying that a stranded porpoise had been reported at Trimley Marshes, Felixstowe. I left work and headed home to collect the dolphin pontoons and to call out some medics to assist. The following newspaper article by Richard Cornwell from the Evening Star sums up the rescue really well. My thanks go out to medics Tony Wooderson, Mark Gregory and Leon Woodrow; James Barnett for his veterinary advice, RSPCA Inspector Marc Niepold, Suffolk Wildlife Trust Nature Warden Mick Wright and those whose names I didn’t get!

Faye Archell - BDMLR Essex Coordinator


Press Article

Rescuers were left sad and upset today after an all day battle to save a stranded porpoise ended in its death. The young Harbour Porpoise was found beached on the banks of the River Orwell next to Trimley Marshes Nature Reserve.

Workers at the reserve tried to refloat the sea mammal but without success. It beached itself again and workers from the RSPCA and British Divers Marine Life Rescue were called in.

They examined the porpoise and, though it was a little underweight and its body temperature low, felt that at first sight it was in good condition.

Pontoons were used for 90 minutes to try to refloat the porpoise and get it back out into the open harbour, but the creature didn’t want to leave.

With light fading and its condition deteriorating fast, vets were called in and it was felt the animal was probably already unwell and so it was kinder to put it down by lethal injection. A post mortem will be done.

RSPCA Inspector Marc Niepold said: “It was very sad and everybody had done their best, but the porpoise was probably already unwell from the start. It is unusual for them to beach themselves unless there is something wrong as they have such good navigation systems.”Had the team managed to get the porpoise out into the water it may only have beached itself again further upriver where no one could help it.

Trimley Marshes warden Mick Wright, who found the porpoise, said that it was the second in 18 months which had been found in the same area.

“They are not that rare and you do see them from time to time. We thought at first that this one had just got itself stranded by the change in the tide,” he said.

( source : www.eveningstar.co.uk )



Three pilot whales saved near Taitung - Taiwan
25th February, 2004

Only three of the nine pilot whales aground on a Taitung shore returned to safety in the Pacific yesterday.

Rescue workers, including schoolchildren, tried what they could but failed to save the six cetaceans washed ashore by tides at Chengkung, a village some 20 miles south of Taitung.

The pilot whale (Globicephalia sieboldii) is a small common marine mammal of tropical and temperate areas, having a bulbous head.

A fisherman first sighted a pod of pilot whales at 7 a.m.

Flowing tides carried nine of them to shore, where they remained stranded for more than eight hours.

Scores of volunteers wrapped the mammals with blankets to keep them warm. Nothing they did could help the stranded whales, however.

It was another rising tide that finally carried all nine back to the waters.

Two of them were carried back to shore again. Both of them were dead.

The other four were found dead afloat. They were towed back ashore.

Veterinarians of the Cetacean Association brought two of the dead whales to their laboratory for a pathological examination.

One was given the Taitung Marine Park, where it would be stuffed and displayed.

Another one would be treated taxidermally by the Hsinkang Fishermen's Association.

The Marine Laboratory of the Council of Agriculture would examine the two remaining carcasses.

( source : www.chinapost.com.tw )

 

10th March

Hi all,

Here's the latest news from BDMLR.

Thanks to those who have contributed.

There are now 396 of you on the news group in the UK and around the world ...... only 4 more for another milestone !

Cheers,

Tony Woodley

BDMLR OnLine

Exmouth Rescue/Training Co-ordinator


Dead Stranding - Malta
5th March, 2004

[ Here's some info from Sarah Muscat in Malta. The BDMLR News does not normally cover many items concerning dead strandings but as BDMLR has strong links with Sarah and her team I though I would pass this on for your interest. Larger pics on March news page of website. Tony ]

I take this opportunity to inform you that yesterday we were dealing with a stranding of a possible juvenile Striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba). This dolphin was about 1.6metres long and was a male. It was brought inshore by the rough seas in the North side of the Island of Malta.

It was in an initial stage of decomposition so it must have not been dead for longer than two days. It had no external injuries present with the exception that the carcass was tampered with by somebody who tried to steal it! The carcass was then sent to the abattoir for a post mortem and we are presently waiting for the results. All the data was taken and even samples collected (for further analysis).

Should anybody wish further details or pictures, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best regards,

Sarah Muscat
Marine Rescue Team Coordinator
Nature Trust (Malta)

Email: mlcg@waldonet.net.mt
Website: www.naturetrustmalta.org

[ see Press item : click here ]


Grey Seal Pups Still Turning Up - Scotland
8th March, 2004

Montrose BDMLR Medics (Inverbervie-Easthaven) were alerted of a seal pup on 06.03.04 North of Elephant rock at the Sea Caves. The pup was reported by group volunteer Jill Bridges. Coordinator Elaine Roft scouted the area whilst Wilma Thompson of the "Esk Hotel" in Ferryden liased with Jill by phone from the cliff top, also acting as safety hand for Elaine. The pup, a fully moulted Grey named "Effie", was dead upon Medic arrival. Cause of death unknown, although visible signs of trauma were bite marks to each cheek on the seal pups face. The pup was tagged to prevent further reporting and was left in the Sea Caves due to the location being difficult for The Environmental Health to uplift. This area is not frequented by dog walkers or the public. A Juvenile Grey in a severe state of decomposition was also found further North in the gully adjacent to the creel pots.A patrol was carried out the following day by Medic Bob Pert who was happy to report nil findings of any other seals.

Many thanks to Wilma (Esk hotel) for providing transport and disposable gloves as Elaine had just returned from a boat trip with her group and had no kit with her. Thanks also to Jill for her continued support and to John Thompson for the welcoming bowl of hot soup!

Elaine Roft
British Divers Marine Life Rescue
Montrose Area Coordinator (covers Inverbervie - Easthaven)

 


Researcher reveals fate of five released pilot whales - Florida
7th March, 2004

BIG PINE KEY, Florida. - More than half a year after five stranded pilot whales were released into the Atlantic Ocean, a marine researcher said Sunday that two of the mammals are doing well, one is deceased and two are in uncertain condition.
The released whales were among 28 that grounded near Big Pine Key last April. The return of the five to the ocean almost four months later came after a mammoth effort involving almost a thousand volunteers, who nursed them back to health.

Four whales were fitted with satellite tracking transmitters that have separated as they were designed to, according to Greg Early, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service contract biologist who monitored the animals.

The youngest male died around the time period that observers saw a group of bull sharks attack the whale, Early said.

Another whale travelled into the Gulf of Mexico where researchers lost contact with the transmitter about 400 miles south of Galveston, Texas, Early said. He was not certain of that animal's fate.

"Long-surviving pilot whales usually live in groups," he said.

Early is reasonably assured that two others are doing well because they stayed together throughout the entire tracking process.

"They travelled up and down the east coast and went as far as North Carolina, then swung to the east about 500 miles seemingly to avoid a hurricane (Isabel) in September," he said. "They then came back to a point off Florida before we lost their signals."

Early said no data exists on the mammal freed without a transmitter.

National Marine Fisheries Service: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/

( source : www.miami.com )



Rare whale washes up on Taranaki coast - New Zealand

6th March, 2004

A rare shepherd's beaked whale was found dead on the Taranaki coast north of Waitara yesterday.

A surfer alerted the Department of Conservation after finding the 6.2m whale – of which fewer than 30 have ever been found worldwide – washed up on the shore.

Department marine specialist Bryan Williams, of New Plymouth, said the whales were a rare species and did not wash up or strand very often, so little was known about them.

He said his records showed that worldwide only 27 specimens had ever been found, with 20 of those coming from New Zealand – the first of these recorded at Wanganui in 1933.

Mr Williams said Te Papa scientists would help in an autopsy on the dead whale today, and preserve the skeleton for research purposes.

( source : www.stuff.co.nz )


Rescued Dolphin Recovering At Aquarium Of The Americas - New Orleans

9th March, 2004

A dolphin found in a Terrebonne Parish canal is undergoing rehabilitation at an Aquarium of the Americas holding facility.

The 8-month-old female dolphin, whom staff members have named Dularge after the canal where she was found, was rescued last week. Lack of salt water and dirty conditions almost killed her, staffers said.

Underweight, scraped up, suffering from sunburn and an affliction called dolphin pox, Dularge was taken to the holding facility, where she is recovering on a diet of vitamin-stuffed raw fish.

"This is the best holding facility for her," said marine mammal trainer Brandi Sima. "It gives her great room to move and us enough space to interact with her."

Sima and aquarium veterinarian Dr. Steve Miller shower Dularge daily with medicated shampoos and antibotics.

"She's lucky in the fact that she just has a lot of sunburn," Miller said. "Most of the time, the animals are very sick and disabled."

Sima said it is unlikely Dularge will ever be released back into the wild due to her young age and injuries.

"She's still got a long way to go, but we're confident," Sima said. "We'll send her off to another facility, and have her live out the rest of her life there."

( source : www.theneworleanschannel.com )


Dolphin dies in caring hands - South Africa
8th March, 2004

Cape Town - Desperate attempts by conservation organisations and the public and even the heated indoor pool at a hotel could not save the life of a dolphin that washed up on a Plettenberg Bay beach.

The striped dolphin, which was found on Robberg Beach early on Saturday morning, died in the pool of the Beacon Isle Hotel at about 21:00 on Saturday.

Members of the public, businesses and conservation organisations in the coastal town all joined hands in an effort to save the dolphin's life.

Debbie Young, director of the Centre for Dolphin Studies, said although the organisation's normal policy is to put a beached animal down, they decided in this case to try to save the animal because it seemed healthy.

They wanted to tow the dolphin back to sea and release it in deeper waters. A strong south easterly wind hampered this rescue attempt and the dolphin was taken to the hotel's pool.

"She (the dolphin) adjusted well to the new environment," Young said.

"We initially had to guide her around in the pool a bit because she wasn't used to the environment. She soon started swimming around on her own."

The swimming pool contained seawater and some chlorine, which could apparently not harm the dolphin.

However, the dolphin's condition started to deteriorate on Saturday evening.

A post-mortem revealed that the dolphin was very ill. "She had serious pneumonia, had a lot of fatty tissue around her heart and had many parasites."

( source : www.news24.com )


Dolphin Satellite Tracking Trial Underway - New Zealand
5th March, 2004

The tagging of three Banks Peninsular Hector's dolphins with satellite transmitters by a Department of Conservation contracted research team was successfully completed today.

Research team leader Dr Greg Stone said the tagging process had gone smoothly and the three dolphins were already being tracked with the tags giving high quality transmissions.

The dolphins, which were overseen by two specialist veterinarians, showed little reaction to the attachment of the tags, and swam off to join other dolphins in their pod after a controlled release, he said.

"We've been tracking the first tagged dolphin for over 24 hours now and she's showing normal behaviour, which is really good."

The dolphins, two females and a male have been named Puari, Tu Ruahine and Timu Timu after Ngai Tahu ancestral names for headlands near where the dolphins were caught.

The dolphins will also be monitored by boat over the next month to observe their behaviour.

DOC Auckland Conservator Rob McCallum said the trial had already proved valuable.

"It's given a group of top marine mammal scientists and veterinarians from overseas research agencies and New Zealand universities an opportunity to work together, refine techniques and share information and skills."

Blood and skin samples taken from the dolphins have gone to Lincoln University for analysis and would yield valuable information about the dolphins' health and genetics, he said.

"Satellite tracking is a potentially powerful tool for learning more about these animals and how to best conserve them. We need to wait for the results now to see what we can learn from this technique in a New Zealand context."

The tagged dolphins will be tracked over the next three months, after which the two fastenings on each tag will release. This will coincide with the life of the transmitter battery.

The results of the satellite tracking work will be available later this year, with the final evaluation of the trial completed by mid next year.

( source : www.scoop.co.nz )


THOUSANDS CALL FOR BAN ON PAIR TRAWLING - U.K.

9th March, 2004

More than 40,000 people have signed a Westcountry petition to put an end to dolphin slaughter by banning bass pair trawling.

Cornish fishermen Sam Lambourn, chairman of the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation and president of the National Federation of Fishermen, last night said a ban was the only way forward.

He said: "The number of dolphins being killed by mid-water bass fisheries is unacceptable and cannot continue. There's no defence. It has got to stop."

He added: "To the best of my knowledge there are no Westcountry fishermen catching bass in this way. The bass we catch is sometimes caught by set nets, but more usually by lines. It's sustainable and it does no harm to the stock."

He said government trials of dolphin-friendly nets using two or three trawling pairs were insufficient when up against 50 French pelagic trawling crews. He said: "I do not see any way this is going to stop unless there's a ban."

Cornwall Wildlife Trust will submit more than 40,000 signatures - collected since last summer - to the European Parliament in June.

Marine conservation officer Ruth Williams said the presentation had been delayed to gather more support as awareness of the problem grew following news that 112 cetacean carcasses were washed up on Cornish coasts in January and February - a record figure for those months. In Devon the figure is between 30 and 40.

Ms Williams said: "We are specifically calling for a ban on bass pelagic trawlers, who we believe are the worst culprits for bycatch deaths. There have been various Government recommendations made, but none of them have been strong enough to be satisfactory."

The news came as the Greenpeace campaign ship Esperanza headed home on Monday, after a seven week voyage around Westcountry waters. The crew hauled their eleventh dolphin carcass on board on Sunday, after finding it afloat off the coast of Devon's Start Point.

Greenpeace campaigner Niall Bennett said all 11 dolphins had broken beaks, cuts or damaged dorsal fins consistent with being caught in trawling nets. He said six of those had been found within 20 miles of the Cornish coast.

Mr Bennett said: "It certainly looks from our investigations that this problem is occurring on a large scale."

He pointed out that the number of dead cetaceans recorded was the tip of the iceberg, as many would never be found.

"It could be because females sink immediately, or because males are more aggressive feeders, which would make them more susceptible to being caught in nets," he said.

Greenpeace will collate their evidence and present it to Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw as soon as possible.

Matthew Taylor, MP for Truro and St Austell, said a ban was long overdue. The Liberal Democrat said government hesitation could lead to the extinction of some species.

"Labour ministers keep asking for more time to test dolphin-friendly nets when the truth is this fishery should not be in operation in the first place," he said.

"Not only are these nets unproven, but both bass and dolphins could easily be wiped out in the meantime."

Shadow Fisheries Minister Andrew George, MP for St Ives, said the long line method was targeted and resulted in a better quality of bass.

He added: "As people can make a living fishing bass without killing other fish in the process, there's every case for banning bass pair trawling.

( source : www.westernmorningnews.co.uk )


SANTA BARBARA, California. - Rescuers tried unsuccessfully to save a dolphin that had stranded itself on several beaches, the apparent victim of a natural toxin released by algae

4th March, 2004

Rescuers believe the dolphin came ashore Thursday at Summerland, Padaro Lane and then Santa Claus Lane. They were called to the sites, but each time concerned beachgoers had returned the animal to the ocean before they arrived.

"More often than not when a dolphin comes ashore it's in trouble," said Peter Howarth, director of the Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Center. "It isn't just stranded by accident. Keep it wet. Leave it where it is. We can't be everywhere at once."

The animal was finally picked up Friday but died en route to a holding pool at the center. It had hit rocks and suffered cuts in the Carpinteria surf.

Howarth said it appeared the dolphin was a victim of domoic acid, which has also struck other sea life in the area. The center recently released an elephant seal and four sea lions and was nursing another sea lion and five harbor seals.

Domoic acid is a natural toxin produced by an algae that has sickened dolphins and dozens of sea lions or harbor seals off Southern California in recent years, mainly during spring. It attacks the nervous system and causes seizures.

( source : www.heraldtribune.com )


Massive rescue effort nets two dolphins - Taiwan
6th March, 2004

Two of the trio of dolphins that accidentally swam up the Tamshui river towards Taipei City in early February were captured yesterday in a colossal rescue operation that ran into millions of dollars and was described by local media as "unprecedented."
The two 1.8-meter-long rough-toothed dolphins whose name derives from the fine ridges that run down their teeth, were caught yesterday by rescuers near the Chunghsiao bridge in a NT$ 2 million rescue effort involving over 340 people and 46 boats.

The trio of dolphins in search of fish had frisked their way 10 kilometers upstream from the mouth of the Tamsui river to Taipei city.

Their rescue, on the banks of Taipei's gritty populous suburb of Sanchung, was said to be the first of its kind in Taiwan.

The third dolphin, nicknamed by local media as "Hsiao He", had disappeared without trace three days ago and experts quoted by yesterday's Chinatimes Express fear for the worst.

The pair of dolphins ¡X one male and one female ¡X appeared to be in relatively good health, although one was suffering from slightly tilted dorsal fins.

As of press time, they were being transported to Sea World in Yeliu, Taipei County for medical treatment and observation, COA authorities said.

Rescuers first detected the dolphins early yesterday morning and they were caught around midday with the use of two massive 300-meter-long nets and around 60 sets of iron pipes.

The latter were used to form a "sonic wall" to direct the dolphins in the direction of the nets through playing sounds they liked and disliked.

The COA authorities decided yesterday to mobilize more rescue workers to help the trio of dolphins return to the sea after experts feared for their health.

Taipei city and county authorities, as well as Taiwan Cetacean Society officials joined hands to track down the dolphins after they were spotted near the Kuandu Bridge in early February.

The city government then invited officials from the COA, the county government and wildlife protection groups to discuss the matter at a meeting.

They concluded that they should observe and record the dolphins' behavior and refrain from any follow-up action to avoid disturbing them.

However the COA authorities and specialists from the Taiwan Cetacean Society later decided after the dolphins must be captured and returned to where they came from before long.

The decision was based on considerations of the deteriorating health of the dolphins and the fact that the animals seemed unable to find their way back to sea.

The COA yesterday received support from the coast guard, the military, the Tamsui Fishermen's Association and even a Japanese cetacean expert to try to minimize the risks to the dolphins in the rescue efforts.

The Taiwan Cetacean Society will continue to monitor the river in the hope that the third dolphin may still be alive.

Rough tooth dolphins are found in the world's deep tropical, subtropical and warm temperate waters. The pair are eventually expected to be set free in the deep seas off the Penghu islands.

( source : www.chinapost.com.tw )



Two Manatees Released, another dies - Florida
6th March, 2004

Day’s success marked by sad mammal death

Two Florida Keys manatees rescued as infants when they were days old were released into the waters by Black Point Park in Homestead Wednesday to rejoin their wild brethren and increase the numbers of the endangered species.

But the day later saw a pall cast, as another manatee died after being found in a shallow cove at Knight’s Key Campground at the Marathon end of the Seven Mile Bridge, according to Dolphin Research Center staffers.

The morning release came after months of acclimation training and conditioning of the two manatees. The younger of the two males, Buttons, was only a day old when spotted with his mother and twin sibling in a Key Largo canal. He bore signs of having been hit by a boat and was unable to dive underwater long enough to nurse from his mother.

After his rescue, he was taken to Miami Seaquarium, where he lived the past two and a half years. Buttons weighed only 31 pounds when first found. He now weighs 750 pounds.

The other manatee, Douglas, was rescued in 1995 by Dolphin Research Center staff from Lake Surprise in Key Largo. He, too, was an infant, when residents observed him, alone without a mother, in water also known to be frequented by crocodiles. After his rescue, he was raised at Miami Seaquarium, then spent four years at the Cincinnati Zoo. He weighed only 50 pounds when rescued. He is now more than 900 pounds.

As part of their pre-release conditioning, caregivers re-acclimated Buttons and Douglas to saltwater and the seasonally fluctuating temperatures of South Florida. They learned to eat sea grass and other natural vegetation that are now on their daily menu. Both animals are fitted with tracking tags so that their progress can be monitored.

The Knight’s Key manatee, dubbed Lancelot by rescuers, beached itself Tuesday. When called to the scene, medical staff from the Dolphin Research Center’s Manatee Rescue Team found it severely malnourished, with a compromised respiratory system. Although the initial prognosis for survival was not good, a decision was made to attempt a rescue.

The manatee was placed in a Miami Seaquarium truck, but died en route.

“Whenever there is the slightest chance that the animal’s life might be saved, you try your best,” said Dolphin Research Center Medical Director Pat Clough. “Unfortunately, given the degree of emaciation and other symptoms, this poor manatee was pretty far gone by the time it sought out the shallow water.”

( source : www.keynoter.com )

16th March

Hi all,

Here's the latest from BDMLR and from around the globe.

There are some very important BDMLR announcements and info here, so please do have a good read .... especially if you are a BDMLR Medic/coordinator etc.

Many thanks to all those who have contributed.

Cheers,

Tony Woodley

BDMLR OnLine & Exmouth Rescue/Training Co-ordinator


2nd Annual BDMLR Coordinators Meeting

BDMLR would like to invite you the 2nd Annual coordinators meeting at the charity head office in Uckfield, East Sussex . The full address is Lime House, Regency Close, Uckfield, East Sussex, TN22 1DS.

The meeting will be taking place on the weekend of the 18th & 19th September 2004. We understand that this involves considerable travelling for many of you and as last year travelling expenses will be covered*, and accommodation arrangements can be made.

The Agenda has not yet been formalised, as usual there will be a number of items under discussion and we will also be holding a photo master class, for getting those really good shots.

Any suggestions for the agenda of the meeting would be warmly welcomed and can emailed to Alan Knight or myself.

Any requests for accommodation should be directed to Sue at the office or to Alan Knight.

Look forward to hearing from you all.

Lucie Kirk

National Coordinator

British Divers Marine Life Rescue

lucie@bdmlr.org.uk

Sue Hooks : sueh@iar.org.uk

Alan Knight : alan@iar.org.uk

*Please remember that receipts must be provided.


Easter Fund-Raising Event - Hunstanton, Norfolk, U.K. ( Press Release )

British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) was founded in 1988 in response to the deadly Phocine Distemper Virus that was killing thousands of seals around the UK coast. BDMLR now has over three thousand volunteers throughout the country, who give up their time to work alongside the RSPCA, Sea Life Centres, the RNLI and HM Coastguard and are committed to providing a 24-hour rescue service for marine mammals.

Since 1988 we have collected some of the best technology and welfare skills available from around the world. In particular the Inflatable Pontoon systems, originally used by Project Jonah in New Zealand for re-floating stranded whales, something which would be impossible without this specialist equipment.

Despite the vast amount of work the charity does, BDMLR is still an entirely voluntary organisation, reliant upon fund raising events and donations. We will be holding a fund raising stand outside the Hunstanton Sea Life Sanctuary over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, on display will be examples of the equipment the charity uses, information about our work, marine mammal training course and the chance to win a place on one of our boats going into the Wash the following weekend when we will be releasing several of the Sea Life Sanctuary’s seals back into the wild.


Medic Bruce McLeish to run in London Marathon 2004

BDMLR Marine Mammal Medic, Bruce McLeish, who is a VERY active medic in Tayforth ( Scotland ) will be running the 2004 London Marathon to raise funds for both BDMLR and Guide Dogs for the Blind.

I would request that you all promote MMM Bruce McLeish in his effort to raise funds for BDMLR. Bruce is a very active medic.

For a sponsorship form please contact Gareth Norman via : tayforth@bdmlr.org.uk ....... a copy of this form will appear on the website shortly. You will find it at the 'BDMLR Documents to Download' button on the home page.

Gareth D Norman
BDMLR Tayforth Sector Coordinator


Grey’s galore in Norfolk, our fifth since Christmas!

15th March, 2004

On Wednesday 10th March my husband and I received a call from Kieran Copeland, area coordinator for Norfolk, to say that a member the public had called the Hunstanton Sea Life Sanctuary to report a large seal was trapped amongst the rocks at the bottom of the cliffs at Hunstanton in Norfolk.

Prepared to deal with a large and difficult animal we set off along the beach in our converted land rover with a seal stretcher at the ready. After driving the length of the cliffs we still had seen any signs of a seal so we decided to walk along the very bottom of the cliff where the vehicle couldn’t go.

We set out in opposite directions to speed up the search; unfortunately we soon discovered that being so close to the cliffs prevented our handheld radios from working. Thankfully Duane found the animal while we we’re still in visual contact, just when I was starting to wonder if hard hats would have been a good idea I looked round to see him standing down the beach wildly waving his arms at me.

As ran back along the beach images of snarling adult grey seals flashed through my mind yet when I arrived at the place I discovered one of the prettiest grey seal pups I think I had ever seen sound asleep behind a large rock at the very bottom of the cliff.

Duane thought it would be less stressful if we woke the pup up before he got hold of it, I have to admit watching him going gently up it whilst calling “chooey” made me smile but not as much as the pup’s reaction when woke to see both of us standing there. Despite the fact the animal was only about three feet long what it lacked in size it definitely made up for in spirit.

Once we had the youngster under control we made a quick examination and determined that it was under weight and suffering from a respiratory disease, probably lungworm. We then took the young male into the Hunstanton Sea Life Sanctuary, where it is now being treated with antibiotics and is being brought back up to a viable release weight.

Lucie Kirk
National Coordinator
British Divers Marine Life Rescue
Email: lucie@bdmlr.org.uk


22 Dolphin deaths in Florida bay
12th March, 2004

State and federal scientists stepped up efforts Friday to determine what has been killing bottlenose dolphins, fish and horseshoe crabs in and near St. Josephs Bay as the death toll climbed to at least 22 over a three-day period.

Water samples will be tested for a possible toxin, such as red tide, and post-mortem examinations were being conducted, but it could be a couple weeks before biologists have an answer, said Blair Mase, Southeast stranding coordinator for the National Marine Fisheries Service.

The carcasses, some found up to a mile from shore in the bay and in the Gulf of Mexico near the mouth of the bay, were brought to a picnic area at St. Joseph Peninsula State Park where the post-mortems were being done, said park manager Anne Harvey.

The park is on Cape San Blas in the Florida Panhandle near Port St. Joe, about 80 miles southwest of Tallahassee.

Harvey said the fish kill included 14 large redfish and some horseshoe crabs. That has increased suspicion that red tide or some other toxin may be responsible, although nothing yet has been excluded, Mase said.

"Typically, if this is a red tide event, this may continue for weeks or months," she said.

A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helicopter found three of the carcasses Thursday night and may conduct additional surveillance flights, Harvey said.

Strandings of bottlenose dolphins are common, but they rarely strand en mass, said Tom Pitchford, a biologist with the Commission's Marine Mammal Pathology Laboratory in St. Petersburg.

The scattering of carcasses in open water as well as along the shore, however, indicates the animals did not strand themselves, Harvey said. Also, all were dead by the time they were found. Dolphins that strand themselves sometimes are found alive and can be saved.

That's what happened in December 1997 when 62 rough-tooth dolphins, a rare deep-water species, stranded themselves here. Prison inmates, local residents and other volunteers pushed about half of the dolphins back into the gulf and they swam away. The rest died at the scene or were taken to marine parks where most also eventually died.

( source : www.theledger.com )


Dugong not out of the woods yet - Thailand
16th March, 2004

The health of the young female dugong rescued by staff of the Phuket Marine Biology Center (PMBC) on March 5 has improved, but the animal is still far from a complete recovery.

The young animal, little more than an infant, was found stranded at the edge of Klong Pa Khlock, exhausted, bruised all over and with a large wound on her lip.

Biologist Kanjana Adulyanukosol told the Gazette yesterday, “We have been treating the wound on her lip with anti-bacterial cream and it’s healing.

“We are feeding her using milk powder usually given to puppies. The milk costs 2,000 baht a day, while the medicine costs around 3,000 baht. She’s been playful and seems cheerful, and she has even started swimming more.”

But the dugong is still far from healthy, K. Kanjana said, estimating the animal’s chances of survival at 70% to 80%.

The center’s record on saving sick whales, dolphins and dugongs is not encouraging, she noted. “Most of the animals that are brought to the center die,” she admitted.

Many are probably beyond saving; a rare Risso dolphin, found beached at Karon last October, died three days after being brought to the PMBC. An autopsy showed its lungs were almost completely destroyed by disease.

But better facilities could play a significant role in improving sick animals’ chances of survival.

“We should have a big fiberglass pool to use for recovering animals. The center has no clean water, no filtration system, no place to stock water, and no qualified dugong expert.

“We have only one pool and it has many turtles in it, which makes it difficult for us to keep [a sick animal] clean so that it can build up its immunity to disease.”

Staff at the center have estimated that building a recovery tank would cost around 2 million baht.

( source : www.phuketgazette.net )


Laser treatment works for sunburned dolphin - U.S.

11th March, 2004

Scientists at Mote Marine hope to use the technique on a new arrival with a severely cut fin.

[ Photo : Mote Marine staff and volunteers carry their new dolphin patient, Toro, from the tank to a table Wednesday so Dr. Charles Manire, chief veterinarian, can operate on her wound. Pic credit : Mote Marine ]

Veterinarians at Mote Marine Laboratory used an infrared laser to treat a dolphin with third-degree sunburn, and plan to use the experimental technique again to heal a newly arrived dolphin with a dorsal fin cut to the bone by discarded fishing line.

"I'm guardedly optimistic because it seemed to work so well on the last dolphin," Charles Manire, Mote's chief veterinarian, said Wednesday. "In essence we've got a similar type wound so I would expect it to work in this situation as well."

The laser light is converted to heat in the mammal's tissue. The heat increases blood flow, which stimulates healing. Manire called it the equivalent of "alternative medicine."

The dolphin with sunburn, nicknamed Jack, was found floating in Nassau Sound near Jacksonville in October with an intestinal infection and pneumonia. In one place, the sunburn had destroyed Jack's skin nearly to the shoulder joint.

Scientists at Mote's Dolphin and Whale Hospital treated Jack with traditional methods, such as daily cleaning and antibiotics, but also treated one side with the laser. That side healed more quickly.

"It really seemed to make a difference in terms of wound healing," Manire said.

Jack is expected to be released in Jacksonville waters Friday.

The dolphin with fishing line around its dorsal and pectoral fins, nicknamed Toro, was found in Charlotte Harbor and brought to Mote on Tuesday.

Mote scientists hope to save Toro's dorsal fin and release her in about two months.

[ For more info click here ]

( source : www.heraldtribune.com )


Shark-Bit Dolphin Nursed Back To Health, Released - U.S.

12th March, 2004

A dolphin that endured a shark bite and six months of rehabilitation was released back into the ocean Friday.

"It's always a good feeling to send 'em back home," Dr. Charles Manire of the MOAT Marine Laboratory said. "Our hope is that he'll return to a normal life here, and, hopefully, (we will) never see him again."

Mammal rescue volunteers released the 8-foot bottlenose dolphin they'd named Jack back just south of the Nassau Sound.

Jack's ordeal began last October when a fisherman discovered him stranded on Great Marsh Island, just west of Mayport.

Rescuers said it took some extreme treatment to keep the dolphin alive through the first night, then six months of rehabilitation at a marine hospital in Sarasota to get him healthy enough to return to the wild.

"Jack was a tough guy," volunteer Lisa Duffy said. "He wanted to see what was going on, and he wanted to see where you were and what was happening. That's Jack."

Marine biologists will follow Jack in a boat for the first 48 hours, then track him electronically for about a month to make sure he adapts well to being back in the wild.

"It's certainly a great feeling to see them see them swim away and know that that's where they belong," Manire said.

[ For more info : click here ]

( source : www.news4jax.com )


Missing dolphin turns up dead in Tamshui river - Taiwan
11th March, 2004

The search for the third member of a trio of dolphins that accidentally swam up the Tamshui river in early February was finally over yesterday when the dolphin was found dead on a sand bank downstream from the Fuwan jetty near the mouth of the Tamshui river.
The dolphin, nicknamed Hsiao He by the local media, had disappeared without trace eight days ago and it was determined yesterday to have been dead for several days.

The other two dolphins in the trio were rescued Friday in a colossal NT$2 million rescue effort garnering much public interest. They were released in the deep seas off Keelung Harbor a few days ago.

Lee Ming-hua, secretary general of the Taiwan Cetacean society, told reporters that experts had observed white specks on the dead dolphin and it had a tendency to swim in the starboard direction when it was last seen alive. Even then, he said, there had been fears for its health.

Lee said that the dolphin's corpse was relatively undamaged and it appeared that internal swelling had caused it to rise to the surface of the river and float downstream.

Members and volunteers from Taiwan Cetacean society were upset at the news but optimistic that an autopsy of the corpse at the Mucha zoo, where it was sent yesterday afternoon, will reveal more knowledge about rough-toothed dolphins.

Lee told reporters that DNA tests will be conducted so that experts can further understand the deceased dolphin's relationship with the other two in the trio and their social behavior in groups. The society is also keen to understand the effects the water in the Tamshui river had on dolphins, he said.

Lee said that not much was known about rough-toothed dolphins internationally. Research in Taiwan and the information provided by the autopsy could shed some light on this little-known type of dolphin.

Rough-toothed dolphins, named after the fine ridges that run down their teeth, are found in the world's warm and tropical waters.

( source : www.chinapost.com.tw )


Female dolphin undergoes surgery - U.S.
11th March, 2004

Blood dripped quickly and pooled on the ground behind a Mote Marine Laboratory pump house Wednesday as the scalpel carved dead tissue from the bottlenose dolphin’s right pectoral fin.

Toro, named for Bull Bay in Charlotte Harbor where Mote researchers caught her Tuesday, was the victim of monofilament fishing line, which had wrapped around and sliced into the dorsal and right pectoral fins.

As volunteers held the sedated female dolphin on a padded table, Charles Manire, chief veterinarian at Mote’s Dolphin and Whale Hospital, started cutting at 8:45 a.m. Wednesday.

“We’re turning what was a chronic wound into an acute wound so we can treat it,” Manire said. “It will look worse when we’re done than when we started.”

[ Pic : A close up shot of the injury to Toro’s right pectoral fin caused by fishing line. This picture was taken before Dr. Manire operated on the wound. Credit : Mote Marine ]

Mote researchers first saw the 6-foot-long Toro, who is about 2 years old and weighs 198 pounds, Feb. 20 while doing other studies in the harbor.

Several strands of monofilament were twisted around Toro’s fins, and infection had set in; algae growing on the line indicated the dolphin could have been entangled for months, said Randy Wells, director of Mote’s Center for Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Research.

“I can’t begin to tell you how many times the line was wrapped around,” Wells said. “Maybe a dozen. It was embedded in the flesh.”

Toro also bears scars from other encounters with fishing line and is an example of a growing monofilament problem.

“I can’t quantify it, but subjectively, my opinion is that a lot more dolphins are being injured by recreational fishing line,” Wells said. “We see a lot of these animals with monofilament injuries. We’re lucky when we find one still swimming around alive.

“I’m sure that not one recreational fisherman out there is trying to harm these animals. I hope all this fishing line gets out there accidentally, not just people discarding line into the water.”

Intentionally throwing monofilament line into state waters is illegal.

“People need to understand the damage line can do,” Wells said. “Out of sight, out of mind is not an appropriate approach.”

After spotting the otherwise healthy Toro several times, Mote staff decided to take action.

Mote’s preference is to catch an injured dolphin in a net, remove the fishing line on the spot, treat the wounds and release it.

“Bringing dolphins here is the last resort,” Wells said. “We don’t want them to get too used to people, and we don’t want to run the risk of transporting them.”

But when scientists tracked Toro down Tuesday, they realized the preferred method was not an option.

“She was hanging in there — she hadn’t started crashing, but she was close to it,” Manire said. “She was so close to the edge that in two days, she could have been dead. If the infection gets into the blood stream, it kills her in 12 to 24 hours.”

[ Pic : Charles Manire cuts away infected and dead tissue from a dolphin’s right pectoral fin on Wednesday. Because the wound is so severe, the possibility remains that the dolphin, named Toro, could lose that fin. Pic credit : Mote Marine ]

By 9:10 a.m. Wednesday, Manire had finished cutting; at 9:15, volunteers were walking Toro around in a 30,000-gallon tank; at 9:23, she was swimming on her own.

“We trimmed away a lot of that dead tissue; the bleeding has stopped, and she’s awake,” Manire said. “Now we’ll watch her and deal with the acute wounds and infection instead of the chronic stuff.”

Until she is healed, Mote staff and volunteers will catch Toro every day, clean the wounds and administer antibiotics and anti-fungal medicine.

Toro will also receive an alternative treatment: A device that emits infrared light will be placed near Toro’s wounds. The infrared light will create heat in the tissues to stimulate blood flow and help the wounds heal.

Manire recently used the infrared device to treat third-degree sunburns on Jack, a bottlenose dolphin that got stranded in October near Jacksonville.

In Jack’s case, the wounds on which infrared was used healed more quickly than those on which it wasn’t used.

“It hasn’t been scientifically proven,” Manire said. “As a scientist, I need a control to say whether it works.

“In my opinion, it definitely helped. I’m convinced, and I’m a very hard person to convince.”

Jack is scheduled to be released Friday from Amelia Island.

On Wednesday, Toro’s prognosis was guarded.

Despite Mote’s efforts, Toro’s right pectoral fin might need to be amputated.

“We still might be able to release her if we amputate,” Manire said. “We have seen dolphins in the wild with one fin. It would be an experimental release: We’d follow her closely, and we might have to bring her back in.

“But it’s got to be easier to survive with two fins, so we’ll save it if we can.”

[ For more info : click here ]

( source : www.news-press.com )

 

19th March

Hi all,

The BDMLR News Service has just passed another milestone ........ we welcomed our 400th member ! ( in fact there are now 403 of you )

The service, which started in November 2000, now goes out to members in many countries, including in no particular order ( and I apologise if I miss one out ! ) ; U.K., Germany, Holland, Spain, Malta, Greece, U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong , India and the Falkland Islands.

I hope that you all continue to find the bulletins informative, interesting and occasionally amusing.

Here are some more items from BDMLR in the U.K. and some news stories from elsewhere around the globe.

Cheers,

Tony Woodley

BDMLR OnLine

Exmouth Rescue/Training Co-ordinator


Message from the BDMLR Trustees/Directors

19-03-04

Dear BDMLR members,

It has come to our attention that members in certain areas around the UK are raising funds on behalf of BDMLR and these funds are then being spent on equipment without reference to the Charity trustees. Can we remind all members of BDMLR that it is illegal to raise funds in the name of the charity and then not bank the money centrally. If you raise funds in a particular area we usually fund equipment to that value for that area , subject to the Trustees discretion. If anyone is found doing this they will have their membership revoked.

The Trustees of BDMLR


BDMLR director Mark Stevens had quite possibly the worst weekend when he volunteered to help a sick seal off Margate, Kent.

On Thursday 5 February, British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) director Mark Stevens received news of a sick adult grey seal on the beach close to Margate, Kent and would he be able to help capture it for treatment. A rescue team comprising of Mark and BDMLR members Nick Kail, Gavin Parsons, Geoff Hammock and Chris Stevens arrived in Margate on Friday morning in the most horrendous weather. The seal hadn’t shown and after some time it was decided that, because of the inclement weather and rising tide, it probably wasn’t going to. So the group left.

Very early on Saturday morning Mark was called to the hospital because his mother was seriously ill. Sadly she passed away that night.

After a devastating night at the hospital, Mark arrived home, exhausted and feeling terrible at 5am. At 9am the RSPCA called to say the seal was in a position where it could be caught and could Mark bring down a team to assist.

Mark hired a van to take a large (6ft long) wooden seal crate designed to carry adult grey seals* and drove to Margate where he started a search of the beach.
After walking as far as he believed he would find the seal, he turned back only to discover (once he got back to the van) that a BDMLR Medic and member of the HM Coastguard had been watching the animal on the other side of the rocks where he turned – typical! But by then, with the in coming tide the chances of capturing the animal that morning dwindled.

The seal was eventually located on a sandbar a little way offshore and when the tide was out a rescue team comprising of Mark, Pete Overton (BDMLR Medic and member of HM Coastguard), Mark Gambrill (BDMLR Medic)and Stuart Barnes (HM Coastguard) walked out to the animal.
A bull grey seal is a formidable opponent for rescuers as it is a difficult animal to catch and hold. Therefore, several plans were devised as to how to capture and move the animal, but as it turned out, after a brief struggle, the seal was too weak to put up much of a fight and capitulated.

Late in the day, the animal was placed in the seal box and Mark drove it from Kent to the RSPCA hospital at East Winch in Norfolk. And seeing as he lives in Kent, he had to drive back again (the hire van was due back the following day).

He arrived home exhausted both mentally and physically and was just deciding whether to go to bed when the phone rang. A harbour porpoise had stranded in the same place as he had just rescued the seal.

He drove back to Margate where he found the animal in the care of several BDMLR Marine Mammal Medics and a vet.
Harbour porpoises** are small cetaceans about the size of an average dog. They are quite delicate animals are one of the most common cetaceans to strand around the UK coast. The rescued animal turned out to be a weaned juvenile that looked in fairly good shape and so Mark took the decision to refloat the animal. The weather though was too inclement at the site - Pete Overton had already been battered by the rough sea to rescue the animal and HM Coastguard Margate decided it was best to contact other stations to find a suitable release site. One was found on the other side of the Kent headland at Sandgate Bay, which was relatively sheltered from the wind and offered good access.

Mark drove the porpoise in his wildlife ambulance and prepared to refloat it at the site. The animal had a healthy breathing rate and appeared fairly strong considering it had been on the shore and out of its natural environment for some time and so, Mark took it into the water and began the refloating technique practised by BDMLR medics.
If the animal is strong and fit enough it usually starts to move on its own after being supported for a while. On land, cetaceans loose mobility and their muscles need to be exercised to reinvigorate them. The porpoise did start to show a little promise, but sadly it did not recover sufficiently for Mark to feel it would survive on its own.
The sad decision was taken to put the porpoise down.

The sad ending got even sadder when Mark discovered the seal he had worked so hard to rescue had also died. A post mortem discovered it had somehow picked up a plastic sea angling line-splitter, which had lodged in its gut lacerating its interior and preventing it from feeding. ( see pic left )

Weekends do not get much worse than this and I think Mark Stevens deserves special mention somewhere for his exceptional efforts during such a horrendous weekend.

Gavin Parsons

Medic & BDMLR Press Group


*The grey seal is the UK’s largest mammal and grows to over 2metres long and weigh in excess of 230kgs.

**The harbour porpoise is the UK’s smallest cetacean growing to a maximum of around 1.5 metres and can weigh up to 65kg. It is also a protected species in the UK.


Montrose Seal Rescue

10th March Montrose Medics Eric Swan, Rebecca Chambers, Sue Threlfall and Paul Horne made their way at 10pm when they were alerted of a seal pup hauled out on the slipway at Gourdon. Elaine Roft (coordinator) was notified that the pup appeared to be missing an eye, was coughing and had blood coming from its mouth. Ian Anderson (vet) examined the pup and injected it with 1ml synulox, and suspected that it had lungworm and or pneumonia. The eye was not missing, but there was chronic damage to it - blind. Despite its marked breathing and effort, the pups temperature was normal, it had good body weight and was very active, alert and bright. The pup "Chalky" was left to rest overnight.

March 11th found the pup dead so James Barnett was notified and a post mortem requested. Ian Anderson confirmed that "Chalky" had a large amount of lungworms in the trachea. Cause of death being parasitic bronchopneumonia with presumed secondary bacterial infection.


Elaine Roft
British Divers Marine Life Rescue
Montrose Area Coordinator (covers Inverbervie - Easthaven)

[ pic credit : Paul Horne ]

 

 


Discarded Netting Still a Problem - Scotland

March 11th saw Montrose Medics arrive back from a call-out in the afternoon to yet another Grey seal pup caught in netting. This one "Luna" sadly was dead, and apart from being entwined round its throat and fore flippers, it had also been shot. (Found next to salmon nets that are not currently erected)..netting matching of course! This is our 3rd pup in the space of 2 months caught up in the dreaded stuff, 2 dead upon Medic arrival, 1 alive but later being euthanased.

Elaine Roft
British Divers Marine Life Rescue
Montrose Area Coordinator (covers Inverbervie - Easthaven)


"Danger on the Beach"

This new BBC documentary series started on Wednesday 17th March at 7.00pm. It is an eight part series following the work of HM Coastguard. Programme eight will feature the rescue of two Common dolphins at Brixham harbour, Devon, U.K. in July of 2003. The Coastguard, RNLI and BDMLR were all involved in this difficult rescue and the film crew captured the entire event.

A Full report of the incident can be found on the August 2003 news page in the News Archive on the BDMLR website. Click on 'News' and follow the links.

Nearer to the programme being aired, I will confirm with you the date and time.

Tony.


BDMLR Medic Bruce McLeish - London Marathon

Just a reminder ....... Bruce is running in this years Flora London Marathon ( 18th April ) and raising funds for BDMLR and Guide Dogs for the Blind.

You can now download a sponsorship form via the BDMLR website. Click HERE to find a page from which to download the form. Please send forms to the address provided and not to BDMLR HQ.

Good luck Bruce !

Tony.


Dolphin death toll nears 50; officials investigating cause - Florida

18th March, 2004

Officials are looking into the possibility that a naturally occurring biotoxin is the cause of death for nearly 50 dolphins found dead on Panhandle beaches, the National Marine Fisheries Service said Thursday.

The service launched a federal investigation into the deaths on Tuesday to determine why the carcasses began washing up March 10.

Laura Engleby, a biologist with the fisheries service, said no cause of death has been determined and experts were still analyzing evidence. Engleby acknowledged that biotoxins associated with red tide were a leading suspect in the dolphin kill.

"At this point we can't rule anything out," Engleby said Thursday.

Red tide is a toxic algae bloom known to kill sea life. Test results returned Wednesday from samples of fish carcasses in the area showed evidence of red tide, Engleby said.

Water samples and samples taken from the dolphin carcasses should return more conclusive results within the next few days, she said.

Under normal circumstances, 10 to 20 dolphin carcasses wash up each year. Ron Hardy, co-owner of Gulf World marine park, is the onsite coordinator for the study.

He said seven carcasses turned up Wednesday - five in the Cape San Blas area, one in Mexico Beach and one in St. Joe Beach.

The group will continue to collect samples from the animals and plans to fly over and scan local waters in search of more carcasses.

In 1999 and 2000, more than 100 dolphins died in same area, and their deaths were blamed on red tide, Engleby said.


( source : www.theledger.com )


'UNACCEPTABLE KILLING OF DOLPHINS HAS TO STOP' - U.K.

18th March, 2004

A Newlyn fishermen's leader is backing a petition signed by 40,000 people to put an end to dolphin slaughter by banning bass pair trawling.

Sam Lambourn, chairman of the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation and president of the National Federation of Fishermen, said a ban was the only way forward.

He said: "The number of dolphins being killed by mid-water bass fisheries is unacceptable and cannot continue. There's no defence. It has to stop."

He added: "To the best of my knowledge there are no Westcountry fishermen catching bass in this way. The bass we catch is sometimes caught by set nets, but more usually by lines. It's sustainable and it does no harm to the stock."

He said government trials of dolphin-friendly nets using two or three trawling pairs were insufficient when up against 50 French pelagic trawling crews. He said: "I do not see any way this is going to stop unless there's a ban."

Cornwall Wildlife Trust will submit more than 40,000 signatures, collected since last summer, to the European Parliament in June.

Marine conservation officer Ruth Williams said the presentation had been delayed to gather more support as awareness of the problem grew following news that 112 cetacean carcasses were washed up on Cornish beaches, including Long Rock and Marazion in January and February, a record figure for those months.

Ms Williams said: "We are specifically calling for a ban on bass pelagic trawlers who we believe are the worst culprits for bycatch deaths. There have been various Government recommendations made but none of them have been strong enough to be satisfactory."

The news came as the Greenpeace campaign ship Esperanza, which was recently in St Ives Bay, headed home after a seven-week voyage around Westcountry waters.

The crew hauled their 11th dolphin carcass on board on Sunday after finding it afloat off the coast of Devon's Start Point.

Greenpeace campaigner Niall Bennett said all 11 dolphins had broken beaks, cuts or damaged dorsal finds consistent with being caught in trawling nets. He said six of those had been found within 20 miles of the Cornish coast.

He said: "It certainly looks from our investigations that this problem is occurring on a large scale."

He pointed out that the number of dead cetaceans recorded was the tip of the iceberg as many would never be found.

Greenpeace will collate their evidence and present it to Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw as soon as possible.

St Ives MP Andrew George said the long line method was targeted and resulted in a better quality of bass.

He added: "As people can make a living fishing bass without killing other fish in the process, there's every case for banning bass pair trawling."

( source : www.thisiscornwall.co.uk )


21st March

***** LIVE SPERM WHALE STRANDING - LINCOLNSHIRE, U.K. *****

Hi all,

Here's a BBC news item published by the BBC at 13.03hrs today.

I have just got off the phone with BDMLR Director & Vet, James Barnett. He is on his way up this stranding.

More details when I have them. I've attached a map showing the general area but at the moment I haven't been able to find the location of Trial Bank.

Cheers,

Tony Woodley

BDMLR OnLine

Exmouth Rescue/Training Co-ordinator


Fight to save beached sperm whale

21st March, 13.03hrs

A 36-foot-long sperm whale is beached on the Lincolnshire Coast.

The coastguards say the mammal is still alive on Trial Bank at Sutton Bridge.

It was spotted by a member of the public at about 1000 GMT on Sunday, and RSPCA officials and coastguards are on the scene.

The RSPCA is trying to keep the whale upright so its lungs will not collapse under its weight. It is still unclear how the creature came to be there in the first place.

Assessing situation

Bill Austin from the Coastguard said: "It certainly hasn't been blown ashore, because the wind is offshore.

"Usually when whales are not feeling very well they tend to beach.

"The RSPCA will assess the situation. At the moment they're trying to keep it upright to stop its lungs collapsing.

"Hopefully, we'll have very high water this evening so if we're really lucky we may get the whale floated off then."

In January the body of a 60-foot sperm whale was washed ashore in Thornham, in Norfolk.

Early last year the body of another sperm whale, a female, became lodged on sands at the mouth of the river Great Ouse near King's Lynn.

( source : www.news.bbc.co.uk )


Struggle to save whale

March 21, 2004. 19.33hrs

Vets and the coastguard were this morning due to resume their battle to save the life of a 36-foot-long sperm whale beached off the East Anglian coast.

The young creature was spotted by a member of the public near a man-made island at Westmark Knock sands, off the coast at Sutton Bridge, at around 10.45am.

It had washed up on the morning high tide.

Although it was beached on a marsh around two and a half miles off the coast the whale was visible to the naked eye from the sea defences.

When the RSCPA and coastguards arrived at the sandbank, next to the Trial Bank, they discovered the whale was still alive.

They had to keep the creature wet and try and keep it upright so that its 15-tonne weight did not crush its lungs.

An attempt to refloat the whale by divers and coastguards and encourage it to swim out to sea at evening high tide was called off at just before 7pm last night.

A spokesman for Yarmouth Coastguard said that although the whale's position had moved a little, the tide had not risen high enough to wash it back out to sea.

He said last night: "One of the problems is that the whale beached at high tide on Sunday morning which was very high water. The tide has gone out and come back in but because there is a strong offshore wind it's possible it won't be as high.

"If the whale is still alive we will give it another go tomorrow."

It is believed that the whale could have got lost in The Wash, confused by its shallow water and sandbanks or that it could have beached due to illness.

At just before 3pm Hunstanton inshore lifeboat was launched to act as a safety boat while members of a volunteer British Diver Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) team tried to help the stricken animal.

Rescue workers had hoped to use three separate inflatable pontoons to lift the whale, but the plan was abandoned because of fears for the safety of the volunteers working alongside the massive mammal.

BDMLR's national co-ordinator, Lucie Kirk, and the agency's director and vet, James Barnett, were travelling to Sutton Bridge to assess the whale.

Spokesman Tony Woodley said: "It may be that the animal is lost or is in poor condition and will need to be humanely put to sleep.

"It is more likely that it is lost and confused.

"Its respiratory rate is currently around five breaths per minute. This means that the animal is stressed as these larger species normally breathe only a maximum of once a minute."

Mr Woodley added: "Vet James Barnett is massively experienced in dealing with large mammals such as this whale. The plan at this stage is to observe the whale as the tide comes in and hope that it can right itself."

Volunteer coastguard Kieran Copeland said: "A couple of people are coming from Kent with specialised equipment to see if we can refloat it. It weighs several tonnes so we cannot just move it."

The unusual visitor proved quite a spectacle.

During yesterday afternoon a steady stream of walkers enjoying the Wash National Nature Reserve who had heard about the whale braved the biting winds to try and catch a glimpse of it from the floodbank.

But coastguards warned the public near the whale to leave the area as the banks flood as soon as the tide comes in.

In January a dead male sperm whale was washed up on the Norfolk coast.

The 60-foot carcass initially beached at Holme before it was washed back out to sea and was buffeted by the current to nearby Thornham.

And early last year the body of a female sperm whale was washed up on the sands at the mouth of the River Great Ouse near King's Lynn.

( source : www.edp24.co.uk )


Photos Received from Alan Knight - BDMLR Director

above : 'Trial Bank' in background. In black - BDMLR Director/Vet James Barnett

Full size and more pics + BDMLR report of stranding including pathologist report ; click HERE


22nd March

Latest Bid to Save Stranded Whale Fails

22nd March, 08.13hrs

Rescue workers today said they were “very disappointed” as efforts to save a 36ft sperm whale beached on a man-made island failed this morning.

The outlook for the whale, stranded on an island off the Lincolnshire coast, was bleak after a group from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) said they were giving up the latest attempt to save it.

BDMLR spokesman Tony Woodley said: “It is now past high tide and sadly they are having to give up the latest rescue attempt. They have not been able to budge the whale. They have not been able to move it.”

The group has yet to make a decision on whether to mount another rescue attempt to coincide with the next high tide at around 7.30pm tonight.

The efforts to free the 15-ton animal from the sand bank at Sutton Bridge in the Wash shortly before the 7am tide involved an attempt to place a rope underneath the animal.

( source : news.scotsman.com )

(pic : www.thesun.co.uk)


23rd March

Hi all,

Well, as you may now know, the 12.8m Sperm whale which stranded off the Lincolnshire coast on Sunday, dies at approx 11.00hrs yesterday (Monday)

A huge 'well done' to all those who were involved in the rescue attempts which were made over a 24hr period at the peak of the high tides.