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Whale trapped in river put down | Whale trapped in river put down |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A 15ft whale which was stranded in a river near a busy ferry port has been put to sleep by marine experts. | A 15ft whale which was stranded in a river near a busy ferry port has been put to sleep by marine experts. |
They said they wanted to prevent the juvenile Northern Bottlenose, which has been trapped in the River Orwell near Ipswich since Friday, from suffering. | They said they wanted to prevent the juvenile Northern Bottlenose, which has been trapped in the River Orwell near Ipswich since Friday, from suffering. |
Experts said it would almost certainly have died of starvation or dehydration if it had not been put down. | Experts said it would almost certainly have died of starvation or dehydration if it had not been put down. |
The whale was seen on Friday afternoon and became beached in shallow water under the Orwell Bridge hours later. | The whale was seen on Friday afternoon and became beached in shallow water under the Orwell Bridge hours later. |
Crowds gathered on the banks of the river as divers in boats tried to coax the whale back to the North Sea. | Crowds gathered on the banks of the river as divers in boats tried to coax the whale back to the North Sea. |
Lying in mud | |
Trevor Weeks, from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue Group, said the whale was in a "compromised position" and once vets could safely get near it it was humanely put down. | |
"At first light this morning at about half four, five o'clock we were able to get a veterinary team out to the animal and we started the process of euthanasing the animal," he said. | |
He added that he received confirmation an hour and a half later that the whale "had finally passed away". | He added that he received confirmation an hour and a half later that the whale "had finally passed away". |
Zoologists plan to carry out tests on the animal if they can, although experts said there was a good chance the whale's body could be washed away. | |
Onlookers said the whale carcass was clearly visible lying in mud not far from the Orwell Bridge. | |
Norwegian coast | |
The whale is the latest in a series to arrive on the east coast over the past 18 months. | |
Whales have appeared in the Thames, at Skegness, Lincolnshire, in The Wash off north Norfolk and the river Humber near Hull, East Yorkshire. None have survived. | |
Mr Weeks said he suspected that the whale began its journey off the Norwegian coast and found itself in the North Sea by mistake. | Mr Weeks said he suspected that the whale began its journey off the Norwegian coast and found itself in the North Sea by mistake. |
He said experts were not sure why whales got lost and arrived in the North Sea. |