2014 Florida Volunteer Updates


Friday, January 14, 2011

Pilot Whales Beached on Marineland, FL Shores

While survival in the wilds of the ocean is at best difficult these days, bearing witness to the demise of two Pilot Whales that beached near Marineland yesterday begged the question why.  And it seemed a bit fortuitous that the whales happened to beach here on the front steps of the Georgia Aquarium Dolphin Conservation Field Station (DCFS for short) as these are the very people researching what causes whales and dolphins to beach and the ones called upon to help when whales or dolphins beach on the shores of Flagler County.  

The first DCFS staffers to arrive jumped into the water and helped the whales stay upright.  The rest of the team was already in full alert mode with trucks rigged for such disasters on their way as was the local marineland veterinarian. In those short ten to fifteen minutes of waiting the wind kicked up a notch making the "feels like" temperature somewhere in the 40's - not so great for those in the water not dressed for the occasion. 

George Biedenbach, Director, Conservation Programs at DCFS instructs the team 
on how to prepare the whale for taking blood samples.

Eric Searcy, Veterinarian for the DCFS takes blood samples while the team coordinates 
and communicates the state of the whale's vital signs.

Other volunteers were involved including a local sheriff and a few from the Marineland right whale watch volunteer program and Marineland. While it wasn't a happy ending for the whales hopefully whatever is learned from this beaching by the DCFS team will help other mammals. 

As if the beaching location wasn't enough of a coincidence I learned today that the last time pilot whales beached in Flagler County they did so almost in the exact same spot and almost on the very same day some thirteen years ago..today ( January 14, 1998). Coincidence? Or do they somehow know this is where they will be best cared for. Watch on! cs

LINK TO VIDEOS OF THE BEACHED WHALES (or paste this address into your browser: http://www.youtube.com/user/yellowfishcafe



1 comment:

  1. Read about how Marineland has rescued many stranded whales and dolphins at the article "Marineland Rescued Rare Dolphins". GOOGLE it!