Rescue News Archive 2006

Sperm whale strandings
(Added: 24 October 2006)
Another five sperm whales have died after being stranded on a West Australia n beach - the second major beaching in the past few years near Bremer Bay, on the southern WA coast. Department of Environment and Conservation Wildlife Officer Peter Collins found the whales today (Oct 24). The animals ranged from from 9.7 metres to 12.5 metres and weighed between 15 and 25 tonnes, there were no visible signs of the cause of death. However one animal was 20 metres away from the others, indicating it may have stranded causing the other four to follow it. In 2003, nine whales stranded near Bremer Bay, the largest stranding since 1979 when 22 animals were beached.

Florida stranding
(Added: 13 October 2006)
The Walton County Sheriff's Office and the Tourist Development Council responded to a call of a stranded whale in Santa Rosa Beach, South Walton, Florida on Wednesday 11th October. A bleeding, eight-foot pygmy sperm whale had stranded in the surf after suffering obvious trauma to its head, torso and tail. It died a short time later.
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Strandings around Oregon
(Added: 06 October 2006)
The Oregon coastline had various strandings recently which included a blue shark and a beached whale - a humpback which has never washed up in the region before. The shark was still alive when found but the whale was dead, however the shark died a few hours later after being rescued. Blue sharks are common to the region of the Pacific Ocean, living in most areas from Alaska to Chile, preferring water that is between 45-69 degrees F. However humpbacks are in all oceans form the poles to the topics. This particular one that washed up would have possibly fed in the cooler waters of Bering and Chukchi Seas in the summer before heading off for its migration to Hawaii, Mexico or even Japan to breed.

Bottlenose dolphin stranding
(Added: 04 October 2006)
A bottlenose dolphin that stranded along the coast of south China has been doing well following two weeks of treatment. It is expected to return to the sea in about a month after it fully recovers. The male dolphin, weighing 250 kg and measuring 2.55 meters in length, was found beached in shallow water near Shatian Town, Hepu County of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on September 19 but is still recovering from lacerations. The Marine Connection will follow the dolphin's progress.

Whale may have been dying for weeks
(Added: 13 September 2006)
A 10-metre sperm whale that beached itself off Co Sligo, Ireland on September 12 has died. Tests carried out by members of the Civil Defence in consultation with a veterinary doctor showed signs of significant emaciation, indicating it could have been dying for some weeks.
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Minke whale remains recovered from the Thames
(Added: 7 September 2006)
The remains of a dead minke whale were recovered from the Thames  on September 6 by the Port of London Authority.
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Pygmy sperm whales strand
(Added: 7 September 2006)
US scientists from an assortment of institutions were recently searching for clues as to why five - or perhaps six Pygmy sperm whales stranded off North Carolina - on the Outer Banks.
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Northern bottlenose whales strand
(Added: 1 September 2006)
On August 31, two Northern bottlenose whales (the same species as the whales which came into the Thames in January this year), stranded at Skegness on the east coast of the UK. British Divers Marine Life Rescue, the UK's foremost team experienced in marine mammal rescue, were immediately underway in an attempt to assist the animals.
For further information please click here

Whale Dies In Puget Sound
(Added: 31 August 2006)
A young minke whale beached itself and died after several days swimming around south Puget Sound. Scientists are trying to figure out what the whale was doing in Puget Sound and why it died on August 23. The whale's body was covered with cuts from shells, sustained in its death but showed no other sign of external trauma. Lab tests could take a few weeks but the question is whether it went into the south Sound because it was sick or simply lost. The whale was 22 feet long, female and approx 5 years old. Minke whales are routinely seen round the San Juan Islands but rarely enter the south Sound. Since 1930, 14 minkes have been reported stranded in the state and are among the largest mammals on the planet.

Scientists want dead dolphins exhumed
(Added: 23 August 2006)
Earlier this year (see May 1 below) the Marine Connection reported that hundreds of dolphins had died off Zanzibar. Scientists now want the animals exhumed for analysis which were buried along the sea shores of Nungwi area in North Unguja region. The advice was given by a group of scientists from Sweden in collaboration with scientists from Aquatic Marine Research Institute (AMRI) of the University of Dar es Salaam. Head of AMRI, Dr Narman Saleh Jiddawi said the bones would help to establish the cause of the dolphins death. The report of the findings would be released within two months.

100 stranded dolphins
(Added: 22 August 2006)
Officials with the Cape Cod Stranding Network, USA have been monitoring waters in Wellfleet Harbour for signs of about 100 Atlantic white-sided dolphins that nearly stranded two days ago. The dolphins were successfully herded out of the harbour as low tide approached but headed back to Wellfleet late yesterday, raising concerns that there could be another stranding at any time. So far so good as there is no signs of the animals.

Costly task to remove whale
(Added: 15 August 2006)
An operation to remove the body of a 20ft whale washed up on the Cumbrian coast on August 11 is to cost thousands of pounds. The body of a minke calf was also found but washed back out to sea. Malcolm Stevenson from the council said that it was a very costly exercise with the animal weighing up to five tonnes. People have been visiting Seascale to see the body but it is vital that people do not get too close.

Increase in strandings off India
(Added: 14 August 2006)
The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park (GMMNP) has urged the State Government to constitute an expert panel or competent agency to study the increasing incidence of death of whales on its territorial waters.
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Dead whales near Baja coast
(Added: 8 August 2006)
Eleven beaked whales were washed up on beaches near Mexico's sparsely populated Baja California peninsula. The whales were found a few days ago mostly on islands in the Sea of Cortez and had already been dead for several days. The cause of the whales' deaths are being investigated as a group of squid, which the whales feed on, were also found dead nearby. Beaked whales are small and carnivorous and feed by a unique mechanism known as suction feeding in which they suck prey into their mouths.

Fin whale update
(Added: 28 July 2006)
The fin whale that had been stranded for three days off County Antrim was euthansied yesterday evening and eventually died around 19:30 -some 90 minutes after receiving the injections. An autopsy is being carried out today (July 28) after which a full and final report and analysis of the stranding will be published.

Exclusion zone placed around whale
(Added: 27 July 2006)
Police have set a 300m exclusion zone around a whale which has been stranded in Larne Lough in County Antrim for the past three days, any vessel venturing into the restricted area would be committing an offence, which would be brought to police attention.
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Eight dolphins strand
(Added: 25 July 2006)
Eight dolphins over a three day period stranded themselves around Cape Cod, New England. The strandings occured between 17-19 July. A large crowd gathered far out on the flats to catch a rare glimpse of the animals, some of the stronger men and women, assisted marine biologists in trying to lift the animals, which each weighed more than 400 pounds.
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Dead Whale in English Channel
(Added: 19 July 2006)
Whilst undertaking an ecotourism whale and dolphin trip recently,the Biscay Dolphin Research Programme encountered a large dead whale, close to the shipping lanes in the English Channel.
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One dolphin strands, three others at risk
(Added: 14 July 2006)
One dolphin has died and three more are at risk of stranding after swimming up a Northland river in New Zealand.
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2000-2004 Cetacean Strandings Report
(Added: 06 July 2006)
According to a report released today by Defra,the number of whales and dolphins stranded on UK shores has dropped between 2004 and 2005.
Click here for more information and to read the report

Baby whale believed drowned
(Added: 06 July 2006)
A baby humpback whale with an umbilical cord attached was found dead on on North Stradbroke Island, Australia yesterday, 5 July.
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Stranded sperm whale update
(Added: 27 June 2006)
The stranded male sperm whale (see below) which attracted a great deal of attention off Prince Edward Island last week has died. It was taken to an undisclosed location for burial. Dr Art Ortenburger, professor of surgery with the Atlantic Veterinary College, said the whale's thrashing movements, combined with faster breathing, may actually have been an indication of worsening health. It turned out he was correct.

Beached sperm whale
(Added: 23 June 2006)
A sperm whale stuck in shallow water near Covehead Harbour, Prince Edward Island, Canada is not expected to survive, says a local veterinarian. "This whale's chances are not good," said Dr. Art Ortenburger, professor of surgery with the Atlantic Veterinary College.
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Beluga whale found dead
(Added: 19 June 2006)
Scientists are mystified by the carcass of a young beluga whale found in a river in central Alaska, nearly 1,000 miles from its natural ocean habitat.
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Dolphin death increase
(Added: 6 June 2006)
The number of dolphins washing up on South Australian beaches are on the increase, all showing a particular parasite in their bodies. A post-mortem has revealed that a baby dolphin washed up at Sellick's Beach on 30 May had nematodes, a type of parasitic worm, in its lungs. Records dating back 16 years confirms there is a growing number of nematode cases in the last 18 months.

Humpback rescued off Scotland
(Added: 25 May 2006)
Yesterday Royal Navy divers with the assistance of British Divers Marine Life Rescue successfully freed a seven-metre humpback whale which had become caught in creel ropes, near Applecross east of the Isle of Skye.
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Dolphin Death Mystery update
(Added: 12 May 2006)
Scientists in Zanzibar said they are still baffled by the mysterious deaths of the hundreds of dolphins. The marine mammals stranded themselves on four beaches around semi-autonomous Zanzibar's main island of Unguja. Analyses of some of the dead dolphins revealed that their stomachs were all unusually empty, which suggested that they vomited in a confused or frenzied state. Mussa Aboud Jumbe, director of the Zanzibar Fisheries Department, said that initial investigation indicated the dolphin deaths were due to mega sounds resulting from earthquakes or sonar from warships. Jumbe theorized that recent seismic activity around Madagascar and East Africa could have disoriented or confused the dolphins.

Pygmy right whale stranding
(Added: 10 May 2006)
A juvenile pygmy right whale that beached itself on the south coast of Adelaide, Australia on May 8 was eventually returned to deeper water after several attempts by rescuers.
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Hundreds of dead dolphins off Zanzibar
(Added: 1 May 2006)
Zanzibar has sent samples to Sweden from hundreds of dolphins that
mysteriously died off the Indian Ocean archipelago, creating a stir among marine experts. Nariman Jidawi, senior researcher at the Zanzibar-based Institute of Marine Science of the University of Dar es Salaam, said the number of dolphins washed ashore late last week now number between 600 and 700.

Dolphin dies after river rescue
(Added: 21 April 2006)
Experts at the Mystic Aquarium have revealed that an Atlantic white-sided dolphin that swam up the Pawcatuck River has died overnight, despite intensive treatment from specialists. The dolphin had been taken to the aquarium last night when it became entangled in brush in the river near Westerly, Rhode Island (on the Connecticut/Rhode Island border.) Experts say it was sicker than first thought and did not survive through the night. Noris Bohachevsky, the aquarium's curator for marine mammals and birds, says the dolphin was underweight and had sustained some bruising. It is unusual for an Atlantic white-sided dolphin to travel alone up a river from the ocean, as this species typically live in large groups.

Humpback whale stranding off Kent
(Added: 14 April 2006)
A dead whale was reported by a member of the public at Kingsdown beach near Deal in Kent early Thursday morning, 13 April. Following a phone call from Trevor Weeks at British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) HQ, medic Jo Malpass went down to the beach but the tide had risen and there was no sight of the animal.
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High levels of mercury found in beached whales
(Added: 9 March 2006)
About a dozen melon-headed whales that recently beached in Chiba Prefecture, Japan and subsequently died, had mercury concentrations some 10 times higher than the level the government considers acceptable, a recent study showed.
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Mass beaching kills 40 dolphins
(Added : 6 March 2006)
At least 40 dolphins died after beaching themselves on a remote Western Australia beach. The marine mammals were spotted a few days ago on a 30km stretch of coastline between Black Point and the mouth of the Warren River in Dentrecasteaux National Park, south-west of Pemberton.
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Dolphin death blamed on extreme tides
(Added : 1 March 2006)
Extreme tides have been blamed for the death of a dolphin in the Derwent River off Claremont, Tasmania. Two male dolphins became stranded on mud flats in Windermere Bay yesterday (28 February), one of the animals was dead when wildlife officers arrived.
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Whale beached off the Bahamas
(Added : 1 March 2006)
A group of scientists were in Andros recently in an effort to discover what caused a massive sperm whale to beach itself and die on a shallow bank in Behring Point, an event that attracted hundreds of residents and curious onlookers.
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Dead porpoise found in the Moray Firth
(Added : 24 February 2006)
A porpoise was found on February 21 at Inglis bay, approximately half mile west of Findochty in the Moray Firth, Scotland.
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New Zealand stranding
(Added : 24 February 2006)
A whale beached itself on Auckland's North Shore today,Friday 24. The five metre gray beaked whale was stranded three times on Narrowneck Beach, and has since been freed and swam away.
Full report

Whale deaths a mystery
(Added : 21 February 2006)
US authorities are investigating the mysterious deaths of eight whales found washed ashore along the Sea of Cortéz in January, an unusually large number that suggests someone or something is killing them off..
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Entangled whale rescued off Hawaii
(Added : 15 February 2006)
Wildlife scientists made a dramatic rescue of an entangled humpback whale off Lana'i after tracking it for three days from the Big Island.
Full report

Stranded whales die
(Added : 9 February 2006)
Two Gray's beaked whales died after stranding at Northland's Waipu Cove, New Zealand despite some initial success getting them back to sea.Whangarei-based Conservation Department ranger David Thonig said six whales stranded on the beach on 4 February.
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Dolphin rescued off South Africa
(Added : 9 February 2006)
A stray five-day-old dolphin was rescued from the surf at Cape St Francis and reunited with its pod by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) yesterday - February 8.Only 60cm-long the youngster was spotted in the surf at Cape St Francis main beach and taken on board an NSRI rescue craft. They located it's pod off-shore and set the little dolphin free. It swam away strongly and we can only hope that it reunites with its family.It would not have been able to survive alone. (Source : Sapa /th/clh)

Baby sperm whale dies
(Added : 6 February 2006)
A rescue operation to save a baby sperm whale which lost its way in the Humber estuary ended in failure at the weekend. The animal became stuck in mud off Kilnsea in East Yorkshire.
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Beaked whale strandings
(Added : 3 February 2006)
Earlier this week, the Marine Connection received news of Cuvier's beaked whale strandings off the SE coast of Spain, around the Gulf of Vera.
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'Marra' swims to freedom off Cumbrian coast
(Added : 30 January 2006)
The bottlenose dolphin (nicknamed Marra by locals), which has been trapped in the marina at Maryport in Cumbria for several weeks was successfully released today.
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Ten dolphins strand on Cape Cod
(Added : 16 January 2006)
The Cape Cod Stranding Network (CCSN) was very busy on Saturday January 14, attending to ten stranded dolphins.
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Dead humpback washed ashore
(Added : 13 January 2006)
The carcass of an endangered humpback whale has washed up off Cape Island, South Carolina. Researchers are still trying to determine the cause of death. The whale's location made for a difficult day's work for National Ocean Service biologist Wayne McFee.
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Dolphin's unhappy ending
(Added : 13 January 2006)
A telephone call describing the very unusual behaviour of a dolphin, came early one morning after Boxing Day. The cetacean hadn't been identified but the main thing was to alert those most involved with sea mammals, to both its presence and its problems.
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Right whale death
(Added : 11 January 2006)
The death of a newborn right whale found on January 10th near St. Augustine, USA, has cast a pall over what scientists are calling an excellent calving season. North Atlantic right whales, identified by their bumpy white head patches and the V-shaped pattern of their blows, have made their annual migration to Georgia and Florida waters to bear and nurse their young.
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Dead whale found in Wellington Harbour
(Added : 11 January 2006)
A dead four-metre pilot whale found washed up in a Wellington Bay, New Zealand is believed to be from a pod that stranded at Golden Bay last month. Conservation Department biodiversity programme manager Rob Stone said he was alerted to the dead whale by a man walking his dog at Sorrento Bay, near Pt Howard.
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