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Four whales saved in rescue operation
Port Focus - New Zealand
19th February 2004
Four of six pygmy sperm whales that stranded at Taemaro Bay, north-east of Kaitaia, last Saturday were rescued by volunteers and the Department of Conservation.
DOC Northland, Marine Mammals Conservation Officer Alan Fleming said “Locals discovered the stranded whales in the Bay on the ocean side of Mangonui Harbour on Saturday morning and successfully managed to get two of the whales out to sea. One other whale had died.”
“Our whale stranding response team and volunteers from the Far North Whale Rescue Group arrived at the stranding site shortly after. Together with the locals, we positioned the remaining three whales on specially designed pontoons and towed them out to the entrance of the Bay.”
“Out at sea the larger animal escaped from one of the pontoons and we released the other two whales which were later observed swimming strongly out to sea.”
He said that unfortunately the larger animal, which escaped earlier, re-stranded and a decision had to be made to euthanase this whale. “This was done primarily so that this whale’s distress calls did not ‘call’ the other whales back onto the beach.”
“We must thank all the volunteers and supporters as their help and support is essential in these rescue operations. A special thanks goes to local vessel Waiaua Charters for towing a pontoon, to Bay Dive and Fishing Tackle for providing dive tanks to fill the pontoons, to Project Jonah for the use of their stranding trailer and to all people on the beach that day.”
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