Desperate Sri Lanka whale rescue
Print Edition
Sri Lanka has saved some 120 pilot whales in a grueling overnight rescue involving the navy, officials said yesterday, after the island nation鈥檚 biggest stranding.
Three pilot whales and one dolphin died of injuries following the mass beaching on Monday on the country鈥檚 western coast at Panadura about 25 kilometers south of the capital Colombo.
A handful of whales had started beaching in the early afternoon and their numbers swelled to more than 100 by dusk, overwhelming local volunteers, resident Pathum Hirushan said.
鈥淪ome of the fishermen from the area tried to push back the whales. The sea was rough and the waves would bring them back to shore.
鈥淚t was very tiring, but later the navy came in with their boats and worked through the night.鈥
The navy and the coast guard, as well as dozens of volunteers, were able to move the other mammals into deeper waters with the aid of small patrol craft by dawn yesterday, navy spokesman Indika de Silva said.
Volunteers had come forward to help with the rescue despite the region being under a days-long lockdown to combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Pilot whales 鈥 which can grow up to 6 meters long and weigh a ton 鈥 are highly social.
The causes of mass stranding remain unknown despite scientists studying the phenomenon for decades.
The wildlife department鈥檚 chief veterinarian Tharaka Prasad said autopsies were carried out on the dead whales and officials were 鈥渟atisfied they were disoriented.鈥
He hailed the rescue as one of the most successful in the world.
Authorities had braced for mass deaths, after 360 out of 470 pilot whales that beached in a remote harbor in Australia鈥檚 southern island state of Tasmania in September died.
The Marine Environment Protection Authority had said on Monday the Panadura stranding was the country鈥檚 largest.
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