Whales, Scientists and Common Sense

For those of you who aren't up to date with current events; on Tuesday morning an infant Humpback Whale (thought to be about a year or less) beached himself on Main Beach in Long Island, NY.  For three days this poor animal was stranded in pain and starving while "experts" and onlookers watched without taking action. It was believed that the baby whale was sick and its mother's whereabouts was unknown. Marine scientists said that, even in excellent health, the baby whale would not be able to survive on it's own due to it's young age. In addition, they claim that it was not feasible to feed, euthanize nor offer any other comfort(s) to the animal as an act of caution to animal rescue workers/volunteers. (It could have conceivably thrashed it's body and injured/killed someone)

Now I'm no marine biologist but, being blessed with common sense, this is what I think.

• The largest male Killer Whale on record was 9.8 metres (32 ft), weighing over 10 tonnes (9.8 LT; 11 ST), while the largest female was 8.5 metres (28 ft), weighing 7.5 tonnes (7.4 LT; 8.3 ST).  **thanks wikipedia**

• One of the larger rorqual species, Humpback Whale adults range in length from 12–16 metres (39–52 ft) and weigh approximately 36,000 kilograms (79,000 lb).**again; thanks to wikipedia**

• September 27, 2008 ;  a beached Orca (Killer Whale) is rescued on Papamoa Beach, New Zealand ( I tried to embed the video but youtube wouldn't let me)

I know it isn't a killer whale in this case (and since I did my HW on Wikipedia before posting my blog; I realize the irony of comparing the humpback to its predator), but follow my thought process for a minute. Orcas are toothed whales; they eat fish, penguins and other smaller mammals or whales. Humpbacks are baleen whales, they basically have long thick strands of hair instead of teeth. They swallow large amounts of water and close their mouths before spitting the water back out. The baleen acts as a filter and prevents the krill, salmon, herring or other small schooling fish they swallow from being expectorated along with the water.

Now if a fully grown predatory whale known to be aggressive even in captivity (think back to Sea World Feb. 24, 2010) can be rescued after beaching itself without risking harm to rescue personnel; why is it that a less than 1 yr. old baby humpback whale could not have been sedated and then transported to one of at least three aquariums (that I know of at least) within reasonable distance where it could have been diagnosed, FED!!!!!!!!, and - in my own high hopes - offered rehabilitation???

Even if it needed to be transported from the original hosting facility to a better equipped facility willing to take on this remarkable creature. I'm confident that if this animal had been given a better opportunity at being rescued it's chance of survival would have been greater. Even in these trying times we have seen people rally together for a common interest. Surely the finances would have become available in the interest of saving a baby humpback whale (especially since this species just barely upgraded from vulnerable to least concern in 2008).


I'm just sayin........