WORKING ROUND THE CLOCK TO TRY AND SAVE STRANDED WHALE

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More than 50 people, including volunteers, veterinarians and members of the Association in Defense of Fauna Marina (Promar) worked for nearly 48 hours around the clock, to try and save the life of a long-finned pilot whale which ran aground on a beach in Adra. The animal sadly had to be put to sleep after presenting severe symptoms.

The whale, more than three meters long, was spotted last Sunday by a few swimmers who sounded the alarm. “He fought until the end like a champ but the disease took over,” claimed one of the volunteers after learning of the death.

Immediately, a device from Promar moved to the place and tried to bring the animal to an area where they could treat it and undergo the appropriate medical tests. He was taken to the harbour mouth, where he spent two days in the care of volunteers and veterinarians who provided medication and serum to prevent dehydration.

On Monday, a specialist vet from the Selwo Marina park in Benalmadena, Malaga arrived in Adra. The whale underwent a medical examination and was diagnosed with pneumonia according to a source from Promar, as reported in Diario de Almeria.

Rosa Maria Henche of the Association in Defense of Marine Life, said the first three days of treatment were crucial. However, efforts to save the animal could not keep him alive. For two days, more than 50 people have been concerned about the health of the whale and have collaborated in the work of monitoring and care. His life was hanging by a thread and finally, to symptoms of pain, a veterinarian decided to end his suffering. “There was no solution. A sedative was administered a and all that remained was to avoid the pain” said Rosa Maria Henche.

“While the ultimate hope is lost, our experience in this type of stranding says that 99% of cetaceans that strand ultimately end up dying,” said Henche who added that “the effort has been so great that it has been people who have spent two days without sleep and without leaving the pilot whale. It was worth it even if the end was sad, you always learn things.”