Stranded humpback whale rescued
The rescue mission took almost three hours, with volunteers almost ready to give up hope when big waves helped the whale back into deeper water.
ERWIN LEUSCHNER
Swakopmund
Thanks to the rapid response of environmentalists and volunteers, a humpback whale that was stranded at Sandwich Harbour on Monday was taken back into the water.
“This was probably the 10th stranding of a whale that I took part in, but this was the first time that it was a success,” Naude Dreyer of the environmental organisation Ocean Conservation Namibia (OCN) said.
According to the OCN, it was a young humpback whale.
Together with members of the Namibia Dolphin Project, Dreyer pushed the whale back into the water – an exercise that took almost three hours.
“The whale’s breathing was laborious and he did not try to swim. Finally, at the last minute, there were a few big waves, delivering enough water that gave him a big push to get into deeper water,” the OCN announced. “We are overjoyed!”
OCN would like to thank Red Dune Safaris Namibia, Travel Uncharted Tours, Mola Mola Safaris Namibia and Sandwich Harbour 4x4 for contributing to the rescue.
“This success gives us strength and courage for the next beachings,” they said.
[email protected]
Swakopmund
Thanks to the rapid response of environmentalists and volunteers, a humpback whale that was stranded at Sandwich Harbour on Monday was taken back into the water.
“This was probably the 10th stranding of a whale that I took part in, but this was the first time that it was a success,” Naude Dreyer of the environmental organisation Ocean Conservation Namibia (OCN) said.
According to the OCN, it was a young humpback whale.
Together with members of the Namibia Dolphin Project, Dreyer pushed the whale back into the water – an exercise that took almost three hours.
“The whale’s breathing was laborious and he did not try to swim. Finally, at the last minute, there were a few big waves, delivering enough water that gave him a big push to get into deeper water,” the OCN announced. “We are overjoyed!”
OCN would like to thank Red Dune Safaris Namibia, Travel Uncharted Tours, Mola Mola Safaris Namibia and Sandwich Harbour 4x4 for contributing to the rescue.
“This success gives us strength and courage for the next beachings,” they said.
[email protected]
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