GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - The public is urged to refrain from gaining access to the area on Dias Beach that is currently cordoned off following the stranding of four small, toothed whales yesterday, 20 December.
Furthermore, the public is urged to comply with the no-swimming instructions issued by the lifeguards.
The area is currently considered a high shark risk zone due to the clean-up operations following the stranding and precautionary measures has been taken.
Once the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment have done a necropsy, the carcasses will be disposed of through burial in a designated area. This is the due process approved for the disposal of whale carcasses in Mossel Bay.
Yesterday, 20 December Mossel Bay was faced with an unprecedented situation, where four small, toothed whales washed ashore on Dias Beach.
Immediately, members of the public and Mossel Bay lifeguard team rushed to respond and attempted to get the animals back into the water. A newborn whale was among the four animals. There were several, continuous attempts to refloat these animals, however the exhausted whales could not be saved. A decision to euthanise them was obtained from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) to prevent the animals from further suffering.
It is important to note that the decision to euthanise a stranded whale is never taken lightly. Efforts to return them to the sea should only be carried out if they are deemed to have a good chance of survival, otherwise, it can cause unnecessary stress and suffering for the animal.
In Mossel Bay, several organisations are trained to deal with strandings. This includes members of the NSRI, SMART, the Mossel Bay Municipality and SAPS who attended the scene yesterday. Unfortunately, with many others already handling the animals prior to the experts arrival and without advice from the correct authorities, the stranding protocols were not carried out. The newborn, in particular, is dependent on its mother for nutrition and protection and could not have survived on its own.
In this situation, the whales should have been stabilised ashore where a vet or marine mammal biologist could more easily assess them. If the animals were deemed healthy, only then, attempts to refloat them should be carried out, following the correct procedures from trained specialists. There are several people within NSRI and SMART trained for marine mammal strandings. If, after assessment by the vet or biologist, the animals were found to be in poor health, then permission from DFFE to euthanise them would be the next step.
The whales that washed up yesterday, believed to be dwarf sperm whales (Kogia sima), a deep-water species, are a rare sight within the bay. Unfortunately, we have only had interactions with these animals when they wash ashore. At least 10 of these whales have stranded around Mossel Bay within the last decade.
The Mossel Bay Municipality wished to thank the Mossel Bay Stranding Network for their efforts yesterday. This organisation works under the South African National Stranding Network, managed by a collaborative group, including: Bayworld PE, CapeNature, DFFE, Hartenbos Animal Hospital, Mossel Bay Municipality, NSRI Station 15 Mossel Bay, Oceans Research Institute, Seabird and Penguin Rehabilitation Centre (SAPREC), SAPS and the Stranded Marine Animal Rescue Team (SMART).
Advice to the public: if you come across a marine animal in distress or that has washed ashore, please do not attempt to return it to sea. There are many specialists in Mossel Bay who are trained to deal with this situation. They will follow the correct procedures to ensure that decisions are made with the animal’s well-being and public safety in mind. It is vital that animals are assessed by a vet or biologist before any attempt to refloat them is made.
Please report any stranded marine animal immediately to the SMART emergency number: 072 227 4715.
Previous articles:
'We bring you the latest Garden Route, Hessequa, Karoo news'
