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Whale grounded on North West beach

Sep 25, 2009 News

Valiant efforts on the part of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Guyana Defence Force coupled with support from volunteers have so far failed to rescue a beached whale in Region One.
Based on reports from Region One, on Tuesday a black and gray whale had drifted ashore at Almond Beach. Residents first discovered the beached whale, which was still breathing and moving its flippers.
According to the Agriculture Ministry the whale was measured to be 36 feet in length, 8 feet in width with an 11-foot front flipper and a 15foot hind flipper.
“It is bigger than a black water tank,” one resident had reported.
Following the discovery residents had engaged efforts to keep it alive and hydrated by covering it with palm branches and wetting it constantly.
One report is that the residents had also tied it to a pole about 40 feet away to prevent it swimming ashore. “One of the fins was stuck and we freed it so now we just waiting on the tide to rise and hopefully we will get it to swim back into the ocean, said Joseph Jaweer, a resident.
Reports from residents on Tuesday stated that the whale was stuck on the sand because the tide was out and they were seeking assistance to get it back to safety.
In a release issued last evening by the Ministry of Agriculture the Fisheries Department with support from the Guyana Defence Force and volunteers collaborated to rescue the whale.
The emergency effort saw technical fisheries personnel being flown to the remote location by the Army’s helicopter and the Coast Guard assets in an attempt to return the whale to the sea.
Approximately 80 persons were involved in trying to return the large mammal to the sea after freeing the whale’s flippers by pushing on its belly and pulling it into the sea with ropes. However even with assistance of a 150-horse powerboat their efforts were futile, the release added.
According to information from the release it is known that whales beach for a number of reasons and sustain life threatening injuries when they do. Often they beach again or die at sea from their injuries. In the case of this whale, the release noted it is puzzling that it sought to beach since it seems to be relatively young.
Once it remains alive, efforts to free the animal will continue, the release highlighted, adding that persons were assigned to spend the night to keep the whale comfortable during the low tide.
Meanwhile, the Fisheries Department of the Ministry has been in touch with several international agencies on the discovery.

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