Stranded whale rescued in Mayaro (Trinidad and Tobago)

June 11^th, 2014 (Sandhya Santoo). A rescue effort was mounted yesterday to save the life of a melon headed whale (Electra dolphin (Peponocephala electra)) that beached itself on the shore in Mayaro, and was unable to find open water as a result of the waves and currents.

In the end, the animal was taken out to sea by a fisherman with the help of Forestry Division officers. At around 7a.m. residents at Church Road, Mayaro found the whale.

They informed a lifeguard who contacted forestry’s division wildlife section at Farm Road, St Joseph. Forestry officer David Boodoo, who responded along field officers ShamRamsubage and Audho Ramadhar, said that the whale did have visible injuries. He said, “our focus was to get it back into the water”.

Boodoo said the whale appeared exhausted from the struggles of swimming against the tide for hours. Several persons suggested that the massive amount of seaweed washing ashore along Trinidad’s east coast, had something to do with the whale stranding.

Residents also attempted to pull the whale into deeper waters.

When this failed, they lifted the whale into the boat. Boodoo said that it swam in circles before swimming away.

Source