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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Fear for mass stranding of whales on South Uist | Fear for mass stranding of whales on South Uist |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Marine animal experts are preparing for a potential mass stranding by up to 100 pilot whales in South Uist in the Western Isles. | Marine animal experts are preparing for a potential mass stranding by up to 100 pilot whales in South Uist in the Western Isles. |
| The whales were spotted in Loch Carnan on Thursday afternoon and about 20 were said to have had cuts to their heads. | The whales were spotted in Loch Carnan on Thursday afternoon and about 20 were said to have had cuts to their heads. |
| It is thought the injuries may have been caused by the whales' attempts to strand themselves on the rocky foreshore of the sea loch. | |
| Sick and injured whales are known to beach themselves to die. | |
| However, at times, dying whales have been followed to shore by healthy animals. | |
| Rescuers said inflatable pontoons for refloating whales were on the way. | Rescuers said inflatable pontoons for refloating whales were on the way. |
| The pod had been moving back and forth from the shore and rescuers said the animals were "very vocal", which may be a sign of distress. | |
| The whales, a deep water species, have since moved from the loch back to a nearby bay, where they were seen earlier on Thursday. | |
| Members of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) fear the whales could die in a massive beaching - which could be Scotland's largest stranding. | Members of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) fear the whales could die in a massive beaching - which could be Scotland's largest stranding. |
| BDMLR Scottish organiser Alasdair Jack said preventing the mammals from stranding would cause unnecessary suffering and the animals would only move on to another shoreline. | |
| He said: "Rather than try to stop them coming ashore, we would let them come ashore and then try to deal with that situation when it arose. | |
| "We have got several sets of pontoons with us, which is our whale refloatation equipment, and we have got more on the way. | "We have got several sets of pontoons with us, which is our whale refloatation equipment, and we have got more on the way. |
| "We have currently got 12 sets congregating on the Uists, which is basically every set in the UK." | "We have currently got 12 sets congregating on the Uists, which is basically every set in the UK." |
| He added: "We are going to let them play out whatever role they want to do and take it as it comes." | |
| 'Huge task' | |
| Scottish SPCA senior inspector Calum Watt said the whales' strong social bonds meant healthy animals within a pod would follow sick and injured ones on to shore. | Scottish SPCA senior inspector Calum Watt said the whales' strong social bonds meant healthy animals within a pod would follow sick and injured ones on to shore. |
| He added: "At this stage we remain hopeful they will not strand themselves but our concern is the injured whales will come onshore and be followed by the rest of the pod. | He added: "At this stage we remain hopeful they will not strand themselves but our concern is the injured whales will come onshore and be followed by the rest of the pod. |
| "Attempting to refloat so many whales would be a huge task and if they do become stranded we'll need to decide upon the best course of action. | "Attempting to refloat so many whales would be a huge task and if they do become stranded we'll need to decide upon the best course of action. |
| The whales have moved from where they were this morning. | The whales have moved from where they were this morning. |
| They were further in towards shore, but seem to have moved further out to the other side of some fish farm cages on the loch. | They were further in towards shore, but seem to have moved further out to the other side of some fish farm cages on the loch. |
| At the moment, the whales are being monitored from the shore. | At the moment, the whales are being monitored from the shore. |
| If they do beach, there will be a triage situation where the healthy whales will be separated from the injured ones. | If they do beach, there will be a triage situation where the healthy whales will be separated from the injured ones. |
| The injured would then be despatched - but we are some way off from that situation. | The injured would then be despatched - but we are some way off from that situation. |
| "The largest number of whales we've tried to refloat before was seven, which was in 1993. Unfortunately all seven returned to the shore and died." | "The largest number of whales we've tried to refloat before was seven, which was in 1993. Unfortunately all seven returned to the shore and died." |
| Wildlife tour operator Steve Duffield, who has photographed the pod, said it was unusual to see pilot whales so close to shore. | Wildlife tour operator Steve Duffield, who has photographed the pod, said it was unusual to see pilot whales so close to shore. |
| He said: "It is a deep water species and occurs in the Minch and Sea of Hebrides, but is very rarely seen in coastal lochs. | He said: "It is a deep water species and occurs in the Minch and Sea of Hebrides, but is very rarely seen in coastal lochs. |
| "To see the whales so close to the coast is exceptional." | "To see the whales so close to the coast is exceptional." |
| In October a pod of pilot whales were in danger in the same sea loch. | In October a pod of pilot whales were in danger in the same sea loch. |
| Days later, 33 whales, thought to be the same group, were discovered dead on a beach in County Donegal. | |
| Mr Watt said: "It is incredible that a second pod, this time probably more than twice the size, has arrived in the same area." | Mr Watt said: "It is incredible that a second pod, this time probably more than twice the size, has arrived in the same area." |
| "There is no reason we know of why they would have come to the same location." | "There is no reason we know of why they would have come to the same location." |
| Pilot whales can grow up to about 20ft (6.1m) and are among the most common marine mammals. | Pilot whales can grow up to about 20ft (6.1m) and are among the most common marine mammals. |