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Rescuers attempt to drive stranded pilot whales away from Florida beach Hopes rise for survival of Florida whales stranded in Everglades
(about 1 hour later)
There were glimmers of hope on Thursday for the survival of at least some of the dozens of whales stranded in shallow waters in Florida’s Everglades National Park, rescuers said. Hope was rising on Thursday for the survival of most of the dozens of whales stranded in shallow waters in Florida’s Everglades National Park, rescuers said.
The US coastguard spotted a group of about 20 shortfin pilot whales swimming away from the shoreline and towards deeper waters several miles north of the remote Highland Beach, where fishermen found a pod of 51 of the mammals in distress on Tuesday. The crew of a US coastguard helicopter spotted 35 shortfin pilot whales in three groups swimming away from the shoreline and towards deeper waters nine miles north of the remote Highland Beach, where fishermen found a pod of 51 of the mammals in distress on Tuesday.
While the survivors still face a hazardous 20-mile journey through a labyrinth of sandbars and shallow water channels to reach the Gulf of Mexico, the leader of a combined federal and state rescue effort said it was a good sign that several of the group appeared willing to leave. While the survivors still face a hazardous 20-mile journey through a labyrinth of sandbars and shallow water channels to reach the Gulf of Mexico, the leader of a combined federal and state rescue effort said it was a good sign that the majority of whales appeared willing to leave.
“Pilot whales are a particularly cohesive species, which is why they tend to mass-strand. There may be members of their group that are ill and beach themselves, and the other whales stick with the pod and remain in the area,” said Blair Mase, the Miami-based marine mammal stranding co-ordinator for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. “We’re cautiously optimistic at this point,” said Blair Mase, the Miami-based marine mammal stranding co-ordinator for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.
“The optimal outcome would be for them to continue to swim away from the shore. But there are sandbars and shallows they would have to navigate. It’s a very fluid situation. Things are changing by the minute.” “Pilot whales are a particularly cohesive species, which is why they tend to mass-strand. The optimal outcome would be for them to continue to swim away from the shore. When [the rescuers] left today the whales were six miles offshore in about 18 feet of water. Our overall mood is that we’re more hopeful than we were yesterday that there’s a chance they will return to their deep-water habitat.”
A rescue operation that began on Wednesday resumed at first light Thursday with volunteers in 15 boats heading to Highland Beach to try to herd the 51 malnourished and dehydrated survivors out of shallows less than three feet deep in places. A rescue operation that began on Wednesday resumed at first light Thursday with 35 volunteers in 15 boats heading to Highland Beach to try to herd the 51 malnourished and dehydrated survivors out of shallows less than three feet deep in places.
Six of the whales had already died after beaching themselves and another four were euthanised because of their weak condition, wildlife officials said. Six of the whales had already died after beaching themselves and another four were euthanised because of their weak condition, Mase said. Another whale was found dead on Thursday.
Efforts to persuade the survivors to move on included banging metal cans on the sides of boats and attempting to erect a makeshift boom between the vessels to try to prevent the whales returning to the beach. Rescuers had planned to bang metal pipes on the sides of the boats and erect a makeshift boom between the vessels to try to prevent the whales returning to the beach, measures that were not needed when the whales moved away, Mase said.
She said that teams would return to the site on Friday but that she expected it to be mostly a watching brief.
Rescuers from wildlife agencies such as the National Parks Service and volunteers from groups including the Marine Mammal Rescue Society have been hampered by the site’s remote location more than an hour from the nearest boat jetty, and in an area where there is no mobile phone signal.Rescuers from wildlife agencies such as the National Parks Service and volunteers from groups including the Marine Mammal Rescue Society have been hampered by the site’s remote location more than an hour from the nearest boat jetty, and in an area where there is no mobile phone signal.
“We’re going to be cautiously optimistic. We’re working some new ideas today,” said Liz Stratton, NOAA’s assistant stranding co-ordinator.
Marine mammal experts say that close examination of the dead whales will be crucial in finding out why such a large group stranded itself. “The real cause may never be determined but the best chance is by necropsy,” said Steve McCulloch, the marine mammal programme manager at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute.Marine mammal experts say that close examination of the dead whales will be crucial in finding out why such a large group stranded itself. “The real cause may never be determined but the best chance is by necropsy,” said Steve McCulloch, the marine mammal programme manager at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute.
He said one possibility was a morbillivirus more common in dolphins but which marine biologists say has spread to whales, leading to abnormally high numbers of recent beachings along the eastern seaboard of the US.He said one possibility was a morbillivirus more common in dolphins but which marine biologists say has spread to whales, leading to abnormally high numbers of recent beachings along the eastern seaboard of the US.
“It’s follow-the-leader syndrome. The strong social hierarchy and commitment to one another is such that if just one animal gets sick, is unable to navigate and goes off course, the others in the pod will follow them to the beach,” he said. “It’s follow-the-leader syndrome. The strong social hierarchy and commitment to one another is such that if just one animal gets sick, is unable to navigate and goes off course, the others in the pod will follow them to the beach,” he said. 
Deepwater shortfin pilot whales, which can grow to 18 feet in length, beach themselves in Florida more often than any other species. In 2012 a pod of 22 became stranded off Fort Pierce on the east coast, a year after another mass stranding involving 23 whales in the Florida Keys.Deepwater shortfin pilot whales, which can grow to 18 feet in length, beach themselves in Florida more often than any other species. In 2012 a pod of 22 became stranded off Fort Pierce on the east coast, a year after another mass stranding involving 23 whales in the Florida Keys.
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