The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is “cautiously optimistic” that efforts to save a beached orca whale, also known as a killer whale, have been successful.
On Saturday, NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon said Plettenberg Bay NSRI Station 14 duty crew were activated at about 8.30pm on Friday night following reports from the public of an orca beached on Robberg Beach.
When they arrived on the scene, the crew found an orca, believed to be a juvenile about six metres long, on the beach and members of the public were helping to throw water on it.
The orca was believed to be the same whale that had been seen in Plettenberg Bay, swimming close inshore, over the past few days.
“Using water buckets, the whale was kept wet and it appeared healthy and the NSRI’s efforts were assisted by concerned members of the public that were on the scene helping as much as possible,” Lambinon said.
An NSRI Plettenberg Bay crew member, studying marine biology, consulted the environment department’s oceans and coasts section, and a local wildlife vet was placed on alert.
Efforts were made to get the whale into the water but on each attempt the whale re-beached. Efforts were hampered by the spring low tide, he said.
“The rescue crew were then able to get the whale into a gully of water which assisted in the efforts to keep the whale wet and despite the low tide, in small wave action the sea rescue crew were able to get the whale into deeper water and they then swum with the whale, holding onto the whale, to coax the whale into deeper water.
“The whale continued to try to head back to the beach and rescue crew formed a line in the water, between the whale and the beach, gently slapping the water in an effort to discourage the whale from re-beaching, while additional sea rescue crew pointed the whale in the direction of deeper water while holding onto the whale and trying to prevent it from turning around. It appears that the efforts to save the whale have been successful,” Lambinon said.
The beach was monitored into the night and on Saturday morning the whale was seen swimming along the beachfront and a member of the public had also reported seeing the whale feeding.
“We are cautiously optimistic that the efforts are successful and we must thank the public members who joined in the efforts last night [Friday]. Lifeguards and NSRI will continue to monitor the beach and keep a lookout for the whale,” he said.
The orca, or killer whale, is a toothed whale and belongs to the oceanic dolphin family. – African News Agency (ANA)
