Comments for Dozens of Beached Whales Shot »
Posted By Eagle_Eye 6 months, 3 weeks ago in NewsCAPE TOWN, South Africa (May 31) - Authorities shot dozens of exhausted whales that beached on a shore near South Africa's storm-lashed southern tip Saturday amid scenes of grief and despair from volunteers who had tried to save them.
Fifty-five false killer whales washed up on the shores of Kommitjie, near the Cape of Good Hope, in the early morning, prompting a massive all-day rescue effort. Hundreds of locals wearing wet suits or shorts braved high winds and rough waves to try to push the massive mammals from knee-deep water back into the open sea
To no avail.
"I feel quite sad, but it is the right thing to do," Nan Rice, head of the Dolphin Action and Protection Group, told the South African Press Association.
"They are huge animals and are stranded over a vast area. Unfortunately they (the volunteers) couldn't do it."
One woman suffered suspected fractured ribs after being pinned between a whale and rocks. A number of volunteers had to be rescued from the surf while trying to swim the whales beyond the breaking waves, according to Ian Klopper of the National Sea Rescue Institute.
Cape Town authorities mobilized the police, fire brigade, navy, lifeboat services, disaster management teams and expert divers as part of the rescue operation. They brought in six bulldozers to try to move the whales, which were about 10 feet long, back to sea. But the whales — part of the dolphin family — kept swimming back to shore and became increasingly stressed.
Plans to transport the whales by road to the nearby deep-water naval base in Simons Town were shelved when it was decided that their health had deteriorated too much.
Scientists then decided there was no alternative but to kill about 35 whales to prevent further suffering. A further 10 died of stress. And it was feared that the whales that did manage to escape were too exhausted to survive, according to Klopper.
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Eagle_Eye6 months, 3 weeks ago
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This had to be a seriously traumatic experience for all involved, to bad they didn't have any "euthanasia" drugs available so that they could of simply been put to sleep. I can only imagine the "fear" and "agony" they both animals and humans experienced.
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BTW, I have no idea why a picture of Ann C came up when I went to submit but I choose her's over Hannity's... -
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BronxBomberComment removed: Retracted by user
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jordan116 months, 3 weeks ago
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How very sad for those beautiful animals, and for the people involved. It says so much to the character of those people that they tried to help them.
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And on another subject; Dang. Coulter's picture on a story about whales. Not at all flattering to the whales. -
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Eagle_Eye6 months, 3 weeks ago
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Check out the 2 sock puppets dropping a story about whales having to be shot, I guess they feel that the whales should of been left suffering and dieing a horrible death on the beach
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I bet those are also the same people who are celebrating the murder of Dr. George Tiller. -
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