MOSSEL BAY NEWS - A rather heated debate arose after a Humpback whale, that beached at Great Brak River this week, was put to death on Monday, following a failed operation to re-float the animal.
David Wilson (71), who was walking his dog on the beach, reportedly noticed the whale around 08:50 on Monday morning.
"I thought the whale to be dead, but upon reaching it, realised that it was still alive. I then called the NSRI," Wilson said upon enquiry.
Shortly afterwards, freelance photographer Tersia Marais, who works closely with the NSRI and often covers events relating to marine life for the Mossel Bay Advertiser, arrived on the scene.
According to national spokesperson for the NSRI, Craig Lambinon, the Mossel Bay NSRI arrived at 11:00, having been requested by the Department of Environmental Affairs to investigate reports of a beached whale.
"On arrival, the NSRI Mossel Bay found a Humpback whale on the beach hard aground in shallow surf. It appeared weak and in poor health," Lambinon said.
Dr Frans de Graaff, a veterinary surgeon from Hartenbos, was requested to visited the scene, but could not respond immediately and referred the call to Croft Animal Hospital in Great Brak River, due to its proximity. De Graaff is deeply involved with the local seabird and penguin rehabilitation centre (Saprec) and is known to have successfully treated and rehabilitated other marine species. He was in attendance during three whale beachings in the 10 years of running his practice in Mossel Bay.
A veterinary surgeon from Great Brak River, Dr Neil Moelich, visited the scene to do an assessment of the situation. He, however, had to return to his practice to attend to clients.
An operation ensued to refloat the whale, involving the NSRI, members of the public, the angling fraternity and Pinnacle Conservation attempting to assist the whale back into the water.
Dr De Graaff was again requested to visit the scene and arrived at 13:30.
De Graaff said that the large swells were problematic - not only for the exhausted whale, as sand washed into the blowhole, which could result in suffocation, but also for the humans, with the cold rain and low water temperature creating the probability of hypothermia.
According to Zolile Nqayi, spokesperson of the Department of Environmental Affairs, the Department acts as the national coordinator of stranding responses, relying on the participation of local parties.
"Internationally, it has been agreed by the International Whaling Commission, based on advice of top marine mammal cetacean scientists and veterinarians, that a large whale stranded on a high energy beach should be euthanised for safety and animal welfare reasons."
Reasons cited by Nqayi include the safety of rescuers being paramount above that of a whale, as injuries or death could easily occur, as well as attempts to move large whales using ropes and other equipment, that could cause serious injury to these animals.
Dr De Graaff commented that research and information gathered during post mortems indicate that these whales sustain irreversible damage to their organs, fat and muscles if not refloated within an hour of being beached.
"Damaged muscle tissue releases myoglobin, which causes kidney failure," De Graaff explained.
According to Nqayi, the whale's condition was conveyed to the DEA coordinator, Mike Meyer, who agreed with the assessment. Meyer stressed the difficulty of attempting to rescue a whale of this size in heavy sea conditions, as was the case on Monday.
"It was realised after an initial attempt that trying to refloat the animal was futile, and taking also into account the safety of rescuers, the NSRI and others assisting were released from the scene. There was no alternative but to euthanise the animal," Nqayi said.
The Department contacted a big game hunter, previously successful at putting down a similar Humpback whale at Mossel Bay.
"A 375 large calibre rifle, used to shoot large game like elephants, is required. The marksman, standing waist deep in the swells, initially fired three consecutive shots at the same area 10cm behind the blow hole. At that stage, it was believed that the whale was dead, as it stopped breathing," Nqayi said.
However, according to Dr De Graaff, whales can hold their breath up to 20 minutes, especially when they are weak and exhausted, which could have been the reason why the whale was presumed dead after the first shots were fired.
Municipal spokesperson Harry Hill confirmed that a representative from the municipality, responsible for removing the carcass, visited the scene after the shots were fired.
"Upon walking around the carcass, our representative was under the impression that the animal was already dead."
However, upon being alerted by a member of the public that the whale was not dead yet, the marksman had to return to the scene after dark to fire four more shots into the braincase by torch light," Nqayi confirmed.
"It must be stressed that under the conditions, the best possible attempts to euthanise the whale were taken. The animal should die instantly and that is how it was assessed under the inclement conditions."
According to Enrico Gennari, director of Oceans Research in Mossel Bay, it could take days for a beached whale to die unassisted, extending the animal's suffering being exposed to sunburn and scavengers eating it alive.
"We must distinguish between mass stranding involving several animals, versus a singular stranding. In the latter case, the animal is generally either sick or injured. Euthanasia is a sensible option for a large whale beached, to minimise suffering."
Dr De Graaff explains that explosives are commonly used in Australia to euthanise whales. Stacked around the whale's skull, covered by sandbags, it causes an implosion upon detonation, rendering the animal brain dead. Zolile Nqayi confirms this as an option considered on Monday.
"Unfortuantely, there were not enough of the specialised, cone shaped military type explosives available in Mossel Bay. In addition to this, the animal was in the surf zone, which with the tide and swell conditions, made the use of explosives impossible, as it could not be kept stable on the head," said Nqayi.
In New Zealand and South Africa, although traumatising to onlookers, shooting whales to euthanise them is common, Dr De Graaff states.
"The use of a lethal dosage of chemicals administered with an injection is propagated in the USA. However, drugs like pentobarbital, which was formerly used, is not recommended, as it is not environmentally friendly. Bearing in mind the high volumes needed to euthanise a whale of this size, it could create an environmental hazard."
"Considering the size of the animal, the weather conditions at the time and the distance of the site from the DEA offices in Cape Town, I think that the authorities at the site did the best that they could. Perhaps the whale should have been monitored for longer after the first shots, but his only become apparent with hindsight."
"It is a tremendous disappointment, and emotionally draining for those who put life and limb on the line to refloat a whale, just to see the animal being euthanised," says Dr De Graaff.
Zolile Nqayi says that the DEA's National Stranding Response Plan, formulated during national and regional meetings with the relevant parties, sets out clear and agreed objectives for managing whale strandings, including response protocols and a quick reference guide.
"The Department, together with the South African Police, will ensure that in future, sufficient specialised explosives are available for strandings," says Nqayi.
According to Dr De Graaff, a new method was recently pioneered by Dr Craig Harms from the North Carolina State University Centre of Marine Sciences and Technology, whereby chemicals are used to relieve the whale's pain, sedate and calm them, followed by a massive volume of medication administered straight into the heart with a garden sprayer and custom-made needle.
"I believe we could benefit from developing a similar method locally," Dr De Graaff concluded.
Harry Hill, municipal spokesperson, confirmed that the municipality is currently in the process of contracting the necessary equipment to remove the carcass.
"Weather permitting, the removal of the carcass should commence this morning," Hill said on Thursday.
The carcass will be disposed of at the PetrosSA dumping site.
Watch a video of the attempted rescue below:
'n Ooggetuie vertel.
Maandagoggend, 1 Junie het net soos enige ander begin – of altans, so het ek, aanvanklik gedink. Ek het gehoop om 'n oggend saam met my jongste seun, wat pas vanaf Amerika tuisgekom het, te spandeer. Min het ek geweet dat daar gebeure sou ontvou wat van ons dag saam 'n onvergeetlike een sou maak.
Om 09:38 het ek 'n oproep ontvang van 'n mnr David Wilson wat opgewonde vertel het dat daar 'n walvis op Groot-Brakrivier se strand naby die mond uitgespoel lê en dat die reuse dier lewendig is. Om 09:41 het ek die plaaslike NSRI in kennis gestel en om 10:00 was ek en my seun op pad na Groot-Brakrivier.
Die gure weer het die rit stadig laat voel – ons wou so gou moontlik op die toneel kom om die walvis te probeer red. Ons het ongeveer 10:20 saam met een van die NSRI vrywilligers op die toneel gekom waar mnr Wilson ons ingewag het.
Volgens David Wilson het hy hondekind Lola op haar vroegoggend strand-stappie geneem ten spyte van die heerlike deurdringende reën wat geval het en ook maar goed, want nie veel ander mense het kans gesien om in die reën op die strand te gaan stap nie.
Hy is vanaf Melkbosstrand en pas Lola op by 'n huis in Eureka terwyl haar eienaars met vakansie is.
Die Boggelrug walvis het hulpeloos op die sand gelê. Laaggety was om 08:30 en as gevolg van die rowwe seetoestande het kleinerige branders dikwels oor die walvis gebreek. Ongelukkig was die posisie van die walvis van so 'n aard dat groot hoeveelhede sand ook in haar mond ingespoel het en die groot liggaam was al redelik vasgespoel in 'n sandbank.
My seun, Marcell, het probeer om die sand met sy hande te verwyder en ook gereeld water oor die dier gegooi. Dr Neil Moelich, 'n plaaslike veearts, was spoedig op die toneel en het voorgestel dat die walvis sterk genoeg lyk om 'n poging aan te wend om dit terug die see-in te probeer kry.
Die NSRI-vrywilligers van Mosselbaai het opgedaag met toue en bande wat om die stert geplaas is. Die walvis het dwars op die strand gelê en daar is hard gespook om die massiewe dier te probeer draai dat dit see toe kyk.
Intussen het heelwat plaaslike inwoners ook opgedaag wat die helpers in die water luidkeels aangemoedig het terwyl gietende reën uitgesak het. Daar was geen ontsag vir moderne tegnologie se onvermoë om nat te word nie en selfone en kameras is gebruik om die gebeure vas te vang.
'n Plaaslike inwoner het welkome flesse warm koffie kom aanbied vir al die yskoue hande.
Die helpende hande van vissermanne, inwoners en lede van Pinnacle Concervation het ook bygekom. Indien die seetoestande meer gunstig was, sou 'n boot ingespan kon word om met die reddingspoging te help.
Dit was egter weldra duidelik dat hierdie nie 'n vinnige 'daar-gaan-jy-terug-see-toe' gebeurtenis gaan wees nie, want die logge dier het elke keer weer kop land toe gedraai.
Met die inkomende hoogwater om 15:00 was daar 'n hele paar benoude oomblikke as die moeë helpers deur groterige branders en sterk strome van hulle voete afgevee is en hulle kon soms net-net daarin slaag om betyds onder die rollende walvis uit te kom. Die situasie het lewensgevaarlik geraak en die walvis, sowel as almal wat gehelp was baie moeg.
'n Besluit moes geneem word oor die lot van die dier en hoe hartseer ookal, is daar besluit om 'n einde aan die lyding te bring en die dier van kant te maak. Ek het groot manne met trane in hulle oë gesien, hande rou en harte stukkend. Daar is iets spesiaals aan 'n walvis wat hulpeloos en tog met intelligente oë na jou staar... dit maak jou sag en jy wil onwillekeurig help, soos wat jy jou medemens in nood sou wou help.
Emosies neem die oorhand as jy manne sien wat met geboë hoofde, hande op die groot liggaam, staan en praat met 'n dier en jammer sê dat hulle nie suksesvol was nie. Adrenalien maak plek vir trane en finaliteit tree in, asook die besef dat alles menslik moontlik gedoen is.
Die walvis het om 'n rede op die strand beland – dit was heel moontlik siek en dit is in hulle natuur om dit te doen. Ons mense verstaan dit nie en soos iemand tereg op die strand opgemerk het – as die dier kon praat sou dit heel moontlik gesê het 'los my uit, julle wil my see toe laat gaan en ek wil land toe kom'.
Ek het die strand omstreeks 15:00 met 'n deurdrenkte lyf en kamera, pap batterye en ongelooflike hartseer verlaat. Ek het tot Dinsdagoggend steeds innerlik gebewe en die hele ervaring het my opnuut laat besef dat ons 'n verantwoordelikheid het in en teenoor die Skepping.
Die gebeurtenis het blywende indrukke gelaat. Scott Mosterd, 'n graad 8-leerlder en inwoner van Groot-Brakrivier se woorde: "It was amazing to see such an incredible animal so close, but the sadness of its certain death made me wonder what had caused it to wash up. Seeing the beautiful whale made me realise that just past the waves is a whole different world of creatures that also need our respect and care."
Kim Mosterd, sy ma en ook 'n Groot-Brakrivier-bewarea lid, het as volg gereageer: "A very emotional time. The brief but very sad moment in the presence of such an amazing animal was very thought-provoking."
Daar is baie teorieë en ons sal seker nooit weet wat dryf hierdie reuse van die oseane na ons strande toe nie. Ons kan egter meer pro-aktief begin optree en die noodsaaklikheid om 'n georganiseerde rampbestuur op die been te bring, raak kritiek.
Organisasies en kenners van die soogdiere, voëls en reptiele wat gereeld op ons strande uitspoel, asook die nodige toerusting en 'n opgeleide span wat die gestrande diere kan help, moet begin hande vat en bymekaar kom.
Dít is die positiewe wat uit hierdie hartseer gebeurtenis moet voortvloei.
Dít is die positiewe wat uit hierdie hartseer gebeurtenis moet voortvloei.
- Tersia Marais
Previous articles:
- Update: Whale carcass to be removed soon
- Update: Beached whale in Great Brak
- Beached whale: Rescue mission abandoned
- Update: Rescue mission to save beached whale
- Rescue mission to save beached whale
Click here for a photo gallery of the attempted rescue.
The whale that beached.
A helping hand.
ARTICLE: CORNELLE CARSTENS, MOSSEL BAY ADVERTISER - JOURNALIST.
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