Security tips to rescue whales

In recent years there has been an increase in the mass stranding of whales with New Zealand having the highest rates in the world. The stranding of an individual animal or the massive stranding can be as a result of old age, illness, injury, navigation error or social link.

Most strandings occur in remote and depopulated areas and are not reported. However, there are many success stories that involve the rescue of stranded whales. These rescue interventions represent a great risk to animals and the public.

Here are some safety tips to consider when rescuing stranded whales:

1. Inspect the stranded animal from a safe distance to establish if it is in danger, pain or discomfort. It is important to keep people and the dog at a safe distance to avoid further stressing the animal.

2. Call an expert for help. Many countries have wildlife officers who are trained in how to handle stranding emergencies that work closely with qualified veterinary officers. People like the network of strandings of local marine mammals or wildlife personnel or police could help

3. When reporting the stranded animal, be sure to inform the officer about any problem and describe what it would be. Inform them of any injuries, physical activities or strange sounds. Remember to give the exact physical location to make it easier for the rescue team to locate it.

4. Maintain a safe distance from the animal. The animal may seem impotent, but it is still a wild animal that can instinctively damage it to protect itself. A whale is a powerful animal that can cause serious injuries to people if they roll in the water. In addition, the stressed animal may shake its tail and put it at risk of injury.

5. Avoid any form of contact with the animal since whales can carry many zoonotic diseases. But, for some reason, if you touch the whale, be sure to wash your hands well.

6. It is important not to try to push the whale back into the water without adequate help. This could lead to a chain change that could lead to severe stress, injury and death.

7. For the safety of the animal, make sure that the blow hole on the top of the head through which the whale breathes is not blocked or underwater. With proper assistance, you can gently turn the whale, which could be lying on its side, on its belly to make sure that the ventilation hole is facing up.

8. It is advisable to constantly pour buckets of water on the skin of the whales, all while keeping away from the hole. This helps keep your skin moist and cool as you are making plans to return the animal stranded to the water.

9. If you have access to burlap bags soaked with water, you can cover the skin of the whale to protect it from drying and protect it from sunburn. Be careful not to cover the blower and fins.

10. Stay with the whale until the rescue team arrives. They may need information about what happened at the scene before their arrival.

The purpose of helping beached whales is to return them to the water. You must follow the instructions of the experts, who have the necessary training to care for these animals. In some cases, it is possible to push the whale back into the water, but you must be careful not to harm the animal.