Sperm Whales beached and die (48) in Tasmania

[Annces]

THE last of 48 sperm whales stranded in Tasmania has died, drawing criticism that authorities refused help to save them. The whales, mostly mothers and calves, beached themselves on Perkins Island near Smithton, on Tasmania's remote north-west tip, on Thursday night. By Saturday morning only two had remained alive, but both died during the day. The last of the stranded whales was still alive on Sunday but hopes had been fading for the creature's survival, said Chris Arthur from Tasmania's Parks and Wildlife Service. Palliative care had been administered to the whale, he said. It had been trapped behind several dead ones, and moving the 20-tonne creatures was difficult because the area was remote, he said.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has castigated Tasmanian authorities for refusing to let its volunteers help in the rescue effort. The Sea Shepherd leader, Paul Watson, speaking by satellite phone from the Southern Ocean, criticised the move by the Parks and Wildlife Service to block three of his volunteers from helping. "I think that wildlife services for the most part is a pain in the rear. They just look on it as another inconvenience or a nuisance they have to deal with. I don't see any compassion there."

Mr Watson said one of his volunteers trying to help at the whale stranding was a medical doctor who could have helped the creatures. A Sea Shepherd volunteer, Shannon Mann, from Canada, said she and two others had arrived on Friday and were willing to do anything at the stranding, but were told they were not needed.

Warwick Brennan,of the Department of Primary Industries, said the whales' survival chances would not have been increased by extra help. "We have people trained around the state to deal with whale rescue," Mr Brennan said.

The remote area made the rescue difficult, he said, and only experienced personnel with proper equipment were needed. "The safety of people on the site is always our priority. If we were going to bring in volunteers we would have put out a call and asked for people experienced in these areas."

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/authorities-chided-as-last-of-48-beached-whales-dies/2009/01/25/1232818248006.html



Associated Press video on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIEE71CH_JM

(Someone mentioned sonar. Since it is mothers and calves, I wonder if this is true, since the males could dive and get away from it?).


http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2009/01/25/natl_2_whales_wideweb__470x289,0.jpg