How not to save a beached whale

[Spam & Cookies-mmm]

When the two men swam out to the beach and pushed the beached whale back into the water, it turned back around and beached itself again.

On their second rescue attempt, the men pushed the whale 40 to 50 feet out into the water.

"They said that they heard the mother whale making a noise like it was calling it," Rollins said. "That is when the baby took off towards the mother."


But Blair Mase, stranding coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), says the rescue was not a rescue at all. In fact, pushing the beached whale back into the water was the exact opposite of what should have been done.


http://www.newsherald.com/news/beach...in-photos.html

[Bad Ronald]

Originally Posted by Spam & Cookies-mmm

But Blair Mase, stranding coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), says the rescue was not a rescue at all. In fact, pushing the beached whale back into the water was the exact opposite of what should have been done.

Ok, so if I find a beached whale, I will drag it further inland. That would be the "exact opposite" of pulling it out to sea, wouldn't it?

[Richard W]

She seems to be saying that the whale would have beached itself because it wants somebody to call a vet, and by pushing it back into the sea, the vet can't get to it any more...

[Spam & Cookies-mmm]

Originally Posted by Richard W

She seems to be saying that the whale would have beached itself because it wants somebody to call a vet, and by pushing it back into the sea, the vet can't get to it any more...

That's the impression I got too. Like these whales have been beaching themselves for thousands of years just waiting for humans to finally discover marine animal medicine.

[Troodon]

Originally Posted by Spam & Cookies-mmm

That's the impression I got too. Like these whales have been beaching themselves for thousands of years just waiting for humans to finally discover marine animal medicine.

The way I interpret it, the claim is that beaching is the symptom of some other problem. Pushing the beached whale back out to see treats the symptom but prevents a vet from treating the underlying problem, and thus makes it likely that the whale will beach itself again elsewhere where it won't receive any help.

[Troberg]

Originally Posted by Bad Ronald

Ok, so if I find a beached whale, I will drag it further inland. That would be the "exact opposite" of pulling it out to sea, wouldn't it?

Well, the wales did evolve from land mammals, so perhaps they've found that water isn't as fun as they originally though, and intends to get back on land. Maybe it's time to help them?

[Electrotiger]

Anybody read Neal Stephenson's Zodiac?

*shudder*

That scene alone has probably put me off ever trying to mess with a beached marine animal.

Highly recommended, it's one of my all-time favorite books (despite the sometimes iffy chemistry).

[Ellestar]

I thought this post was going to include either the beached whale scene from the Reno 911: Miami movie or the beached whale scene from Hancock.