Just about one week ago, 21 pilot whales stranded Gulfside off Cudjoe Key. That's not far from here, only a few miles in fact.
I waited a while before posting anything about this. Maybe you heard about the stranding, it was all over the news when it first happened. Even the big news outlets like CNN had stories on this. I was, and still am, torn over the rescue effort for these whales. As with anything else, you may or may not like what I am about to write, but hey, this is my blog after all. Here goes, for good or for bad.
No one knows why mass strandings like this happen. There's theories out there, of course. Some think they strand from sonar disruptions. There is a navy base in Key West. Maybe its related. I don't know. There have been other mass strandings in the Lower Keys. In 2003, 28 pilot whales stranded just off Big Pine Key.
Another theory is that an infirm/elder whale strands itself to die, and the rest of the pod simply follows. I wouldn't rule that out either.
When the mass stranding was discovered, there was an immediate aid effort organized, with a call for volunteers. I didn't think I'd be able to volunteer, remember I cannot swim. I learned there are other ways to volunteer, and also the whales were shallow so it wouldn't be over my head waterwise. So, we did sign up as volunteers. We were not needed at the time, and were moved to the back up list.
Fourteen of the 21 whales died. Two were rehabbed enough in just a few short days that they were released. This is a wonderful thing. A tracking device was placed on those 2 whales. Hopes are the devices will last 2-3 months. For now, the devices are functioning, and the whales are being tracked. It is known they are swimming in very deep water, heading in the direction they belong. Thank you Universe.
The remaining 5 are a different story. Those remaining 5 were moved to the Marine Mammal Conservancy in Key Largo (http://www.marinemammalconservancy.org/) It was a herculean effort to get them there, a lot of people were involved, officials, volunteers, cranes, trucks and so forth.
I saw a photograph of 2 of the pilot whales being readied for transport to Key Largo. It stopped me cold. It seemed wrong, all wrong. There they were, loaded into a large refrigerator truck. I guess they were placed via crane. I did see photos of cranes at the site, these ARE whales we're talking about. I presume the media is semi-accurate when they report the weights at about 700 - 800 pounds, approximately, each (depending on their age). I started to imagine what those whales were feeling the moment the photographer captured those photographs. What I imagined was not good.
When the stranding first was discovered, there were a lot of unknowns; there still are. I personally felt that it was appropriate to have the specialists and veterinarians assess the animals to determine, if possible, their condition and who perhaps could be saved. Now that more time has lapsed, I am not as supportive of the efforts as they continue. Its not that I don't realize those involved have absolutely the BEST of intentions, because I believe they do. As time has begun to pass, I cannot help but wonder more and more "is this still in the best interest of the animal." I'm just not sure anymore.
Of the five pilot whales that were transported just in the last day or so, another has been euthanized today. It seems he was not responding to treatment, not at all. This, after the trauma of the stranding, the week of rescue efforts, a truck ride 80 miles away, and more critical care. It was decided he's suffering, he's not responding at all, so he is euthanized after all that. Instead of letting him die in nature, stranded, yes, but still with his pod, and in the shallows of his ocean. Either let nature take its course, or euthanize on site. Not 24 hours after the trauma of the transport. He was too weak to rebound from the transport I guess, and got even weaker. My heart is breaking over this for so many reasons. I am not alone.
I waited a while before posting anything about this. Maybe you heard about the stranding, it was all over the news when it first happened. Even the big news outlets like CNN had stories on this. I was, and still am, torn over the rescue effort for these whales. As with anything else, you may or may not like what I am about to write, but hey, this is my blog after all. Here goes, for good or for bad.
No one knows why mass strandings like this happen. There's theories out there, of course. Some think they strand from sonar disruptions. There is a navy base in Key West. Maybe its related. I don't know. There have been other mass strandings in the Lower Keys. In 2003, 28 pilot whales stranded just off Big Pine Key.
Another theory is that an infirm/elder whale strands itself to die, and the rest of the pod simply follows. I wouldn't rule that out either.
When the mass stranding was discovered, there was an immediate aid effort organized, with a call for volunteers. I didn't think I'd be able to volunteer, remember I cannot swim. I learned there are other ways to volunteer, and also the whales were shallow so it wouldn't be over my head waterwise. So, we did sign up as volunteers. We were not needed at the time, and were moved to the back up list.
Fourteen of the 21 whales died. Two were rehabbed enough in just a few short days that they were released. This is a wonderful thing. A tracking device was placed on those 2 whales. Hopes are the devices will last 2-3 months. For now, the devices are functioning, and the whales are being tracked. It is known they are swimming in very deep water, heading in the direction they belong. Thank you Universe.
The remaining 5 are a different story. Those remaining 5 were moved to the Marine Mammal Conservancy in Key Largo (http://www.marinemammalconservancy.org/) It was a herculean effort to get them there, a lot of people were involved, officials, volunteers, cranes, trucks and so forth.
I saw a photograph of 2 of the pilot whales being readied for transport to Key Largo. It stopped me cold. It seemed wrong, all wrong. There they were, loaded into a large refrigerator truck. I guess they were placed via crane. I did see photos of cranes at the site, these ARE whales we're talking about. I presume the media is semi-accurate when they report the weights at about 700 - 800 pounds, approximately, each (depending on their age). I started to imagine what those whales were feeling the moment the photographer captured those photographs. What I imagined was not good.
When the stranding first was discovered, there were a lot of unknowns; there still are. I personally felt that it was appropriate to have the specialists and veterinarians assess the animals to determine, if possible, their condition and who perhaps could be saved. Now that more time has lapsed, I am not as supportive of the efforts as they continue. Its not that I don't realize those involved have absolutely the BEST of intentions, because I believe they do. As time has begun to pass, I cannot help but wonder more and more "is this still in the best interest of the animal." I'm just not sure anymore.
Of the five pilot whales that were transported just in the last day or so, another has been euthanized today. It seems he was not responding to treatment, not at all. This, after the trauma of the stranding, the week of rescue efforts, a truck ride 80 miles away, and more critical care. It was decided he's suffering, he's not responding at all, so he is euthanized after all that. Instead of letting him die in nature, stranded, yes, but still with his pod, and in the shallows of his ocean. Either let nature take its course, or euthanize on site. Not 24 hours after the trauma of the transport. He was too weak to rebound from the transport I guess, and got even weaker. My heart is breaking over this for so many reasons. I am not alone.
Now there are four.
Pilot whales are a social species. They are cetaceans, in the dolphin family. They are highly intelligent, social, vocal and very communicative with each other. I wonder about those 4 whales at the rehab center. What are they feeling? I'm sure they are mourning the loss of most of their pod. I'm sure they are scared, and filled with anxiety over all the stress they have endured, from when they stranded, to when all the strangers came to help them, to the cranes loading them into refrigerated trucks donated by a food chain, to the unloading at the center, and through the ongoing treatment.
Through all of it, the fact is we do not know why this happened. Humans are so arrogant. We think we know a lot. We know nothing. We know less about our ocean and those that live in it than we do about our moon. Incredible.
So, there are all these efforts going on, and is it the right thing to do? I have no answers, and won't pretend to. It doesn't matter what I think, it doesn't matter what I type here. It will not change what is going on, nor will it change the outcome. Of course I want these animals to survive, but what happened is part of nature. We cannot pretend to understand. I want to understand, I want to know. But, until we can communicate as one pilot whale to another, we will not understand any of this.
There are 4 pilot whales at the Marine Mammal Conservancy in Key Largo tonight instead of swimming free in the ocean. One is in critical condition, the other 3 are in stable but guarded condition as I write this. I hope this was the right thing to do, and I hope they survive to swim free in the ocean for a very long time. Rescue efforts may take 2 months, or longer.
Keep those 4 souls in your thoughts. And, for those working to help these animals, please keep them in your thoughts too. Right or wrong, whats done is done, and we can all only hope for the best.
Pilot whales are a social species. They are cetaceans, in the dolphin family. They are highly intelligent, social, vocal and very communicative with each other. I wonder about those 4 whales at the rehab center. What are they feeling? I'm sure they are mourning the loss of most of their pod. I'm sure they are scared, and filled with anxiety over all the stress they have endured, from when they stranded, to when all the strangers came to help them, to the cranes loading them into refrigerated trucks donated by a food chain, to the unloading at the center, and through the ongoing treatment.
Through all of it, the fact is we do not know why this happened. Humans are so arrogant. We think we know a lot. We know nothing. We know less about our ocean and those that live in it than we do about our moon. Incredible.
So, there are all these efforts going on, and is it the right thing to do? I have no answers, and won't pretend to. It doesn't matter what I think, it doesn't matter what I type here. It will not change what is going on, nor will it change the outcome. Of course I want these animals to survive, but what happened is part of nature. We cannot pretend to understand. I want to understand, I want to know. But, until we can communicate as one pilot whale to another, we will not understand any of this.
There are 4 pilot whales at the Marine Mammal Conservancy in Key Largo tonight instead of swimming free in the ocean. One is in critical condition, the other 3 are in stable but guarded condition as I write this. I hope this was the right thing to do, and I hope they survive to swim free in the ocean for a very long time. Rescue efforts may take 2 months, or longer.
Keep those 4 souls in your thoughts. And, for those working to help these animals, please keep them in your thoughts too. Right or wrong, whats done is done, and we can all only hope for the best.
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