Whales beach

NSRI: National Sea Rescue Institute Media Release:(For Immediate Release)Sea Rescue – Blue Water Beach – Tuesday, 13 July, 2010. 2 whales found beached are humanely euthanized.Mario Fredericks, Sea Rescue Strandfontein deputy station commander, said: “At 08h45 Sea Rescue Strandfontein were activated by the Transnet National Ports Authority to respond to investigate reports of 2 whales found beached at Blue Water Beach, between Strandfontein Pavilion and Mnandi Beach, on the False Bay coast.“We dispatched our Sea Rescue vehicle and on arrival on-scene we found 2 Pygmy Sperm Whales, an adult female and a female calf, hard aground well up on the beach and both showing signs of life. The 2 whales were approximately 800 metres apart from each other.“Our Sea Rescue duty crew was activated to respond to the scene and Marine and Coastal Management (MCM) scientists, City of Cape Town Nature Conservation officials, the SPCA, Metro Police, Law Enforcement officers, the City of Cape Town Disaster Management officials and Chris Fallows, of Apex Predators, were activated to respond to the scene to assist.“MCM and SPCA officials assessed the health of both whales and they were found to be in ill health.“Both whales were loaded into 4x4 vehicles and transported to our nearby Sea Rescue base at Strandfontein where SPCA veterinary surgeons further assessed the whales and the decision was taken, based on the animals poor health, to humanely euthanize both whales.“Both carcasses have been transported, under a City of Cape Town Traffic Services escort, to MCM’s laboratories in the City of Cape Town for further study.“It is suspected that the whales poor health caused them to beach.“Throughout this operation all efforts were employed to minimise stress to both animal.”