Motherless whale on the run from Coast Guard

[Cetacea]

No doubt lost his/her parents to BP. This is the third young one to show up on the Florida east coast since the Oil Disaster.

"A baby sperm whale that docked itself at a South Beach marina on Tuesday then went missing has been spotted north off the shores of Pompano Beach, officials said Thursday.

The 10-foot long whale was seen by boaters bobbing up and down in the water around 2 p.m., but then it disappeared before NOAA scientists could make it to the scene.

The whale has been playing a hide-and-seek game with researchers for two days since it escaped a boat blockade in Biscayne Bay two days ago. It has good reason to.

Researchers have said because they cannot find the calf's mother, they will have to euthanize the sea mammal for fear it cannot survive on its own in the wild. Weird solution for an orphan, but the whale has been smart enough to stay out of sight except for today's sighting.

U.S. Coast Guard helicopters and boats are patrolling the area off Pompano Beach in case the whale surfaces again.

We're not sure who to root for."

If they don't kill him, he/she has a chance of living, though going by way of shark is a real possibility.

video:
http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local-beat/Free-Willy-Wayward-Baby-Whale-Spotted--101591063.html

[barbtries]

1. why do they have to kill him??

why not let nature take its course (granted nature was thwarted when it came to his mother)? i don't get it.

[Cetacea]

2. Seriously.

I wonder if they want to get a sample from the whale to see if there are traces of oil/dispersant.
Whatever the reason, I agree that the young whale should be given a fighting chance.

[FedUpWithIt All]

17. After a quick WTF, that was my first thought too.

Either hiding evidence or collecting it.

Shameful to deny the young thing a chance.

[laylah]

3. ...

:cry:

[NutmegYankee]

4. They want to kill it for fear that it could die?

Seriously? That doesn't make sense!

[dhill926]

5. kinda like "we must destroy this village to save it"......

[bobbolink]

6. "Destroy the village in order to save it" "Discontinue people from disability so they can

survive on their own."

Yeah, it all makes sense.

But more people will speak out on behalf of the whale, than on behalf of disabled people.

[Cetacea]

8. Mean is the new "cool".

Though the seeds were planted by Reagan.

[bobbolink]

10. Then the Dems incubated the seeds.

And here we are.... dealing with the meanies of ALL stripes.

:nuke:

[Lorien]

14. Just stop. Seriously.

Some of us ARE capable of caring about much more than just ourselves and fighting for more than one cause at a time (and this I say as a disabled unemployed person).

[bobbolink]

15. I will say what needs to be said. People are now going to be dying because "liberals"

can't be concerned about the disability Purge that is happening. We are isolated and left alone because all other issues take precedence.

I have just read a post by someone who is afraid of dying because she can't get recognition for her disability. If that has no concern for you, then you need to do some soul searching. She is in despair because "liberals" and "progressives" won't take action on this.

If you don't like what I have to say, and refuse to consider helping with this cause, then, please, put me on ignore. You will help both of us by doing that.

[NutmegYankee]

22. I'm not familiar with the disability issue

What's happening?

[bobbolink]

25. Thank you.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9034376

There are several posts from DUers facing this, heartbreaking.

There are the usual distractors, and there are those wanting to find more information in order to fight this.

Thank you for your interest!

[xchrom]

7. Recommend

[I Have A Dream]

9. OMG, this makes me want to cry.

I'll never understand much of humanity.

[nashville_brook]

11. i know who i'm "rooting for." jeez.

[nashville_brook]

12. dupe/delete

[AndyA]

13. Swim, Baby Whale, Swim!

Avoid people and Sharks, and you'll be OK.

[Darth_Kitten]

20. we have the same mindset...heh heh.....

Just saw your post now. :)

[jwirr]

16. Totally idiotic solution. They say that either way it will die. Well then

let it die naturally so it has a chance to beat the odds. How would the idiot who is making this decision like it if he was diagnosed with a serious illness and the doctor said, "Let us end your life because there is a good chance you are not going to make it." That is what they are doing to that whale.

[Darth_Kitten]

21. Seems like he's already a resourceful little guy with attitude....

I hope he makes it. :)

[I Have A Dream]

18. Kick. nt

[Darth_Kitten]

19. Swim, little guy, SWIM............

:)

[jmondine]

23. Okay, folks. Reality check.

At ten feet long, this whale is small even for a newborn. It is therefore very, very young and most likely still completely dependent on its mother's milk. It cannot yet dive for its own food and wouldn't know how even if it was physically able. Sperm whales are also social animals (though large males sometimes live solo). This means that this baby is not only separated from its mother, but from its entire family. It is highly unlikely that another pod would adopt it, let alone one with a lactating female who would be willing to nurse it in addition to her own calf. Whatever method the Coast Guard plans to use to euthanize the infant, it will be far more humane than letting it slowly starve to death.

I speak as someone with a deep love for all cetaceans. They are my favorite creatures in the world. But they are still wild animals, subject to the hard, unforgiving, totally dispassionate realities of nature. If the calf had been naturally abandoned by its mother, I would agree, reluctantly, to letting it be. But this is a tragedy most likely caused by humanity's own shortsighted foolishness. For the calf, the damage is already done. The only thing we can do to make any kind of amends is to avert the agony that is otherwise inevitable.

[Cetacea]

24. Good points. However, gulf sperm whales are now facing extinction.

Given the intense family relationships of all cetaceans, even into adult hood, the appearance of yet another young one is troubling. Female dolphins have been known to die of starvation shortly after losing their young....

We really don't know how many of the unique gulf sperm whales are dead now. Due to the fact that a typical female only gives birth at most a few times in a lifetime, it is estimated that a loss of just three could put them past the tipping point. Two have already been found dead on the Florida east coast, and one adult was found seventy miles from the Horizon. Given that they feed at the mouth of the Mississippi river, it is very likely, in my opinion, that many, many more perished. The one that was found in the gulf was estimated to have been dead a week. It's troubling to me that sharks had not gotten to it. (it was reported in early June that large numbers of dolphins and sharks were being observed close to the shorelines to avoid the incoming oil tide. There were no follow up reports...Most probably perished)

Attempts should be made to find this whale and guide it into a makeshift holding area until further arrangements can be made. He/she could very well be one of a few surviving members of this unique sub-species.

Given the gravity of the situation, I continue to find it extremely interesting that save for the National Geographic article referred to above, there has been virtually no reportage on the possible extinction of a mammal sub-species, and a uniquely American one at that..

Thanks for your post.

[jmondine]

26. I hadn't even considered a holding area

Now, that's an idea I could get behind. Perhaps a small bay in the area? Makes a lot more sense than letting an infant try to "fend for themselves".
I know that abandoned gray whale calves have been saved in similar ways. And yes, the lack of any members of the whale's pod, along with no predators, is troubling indeed.