Juvenile humpback stranded at Jurien Bay |
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Thursday, 25 September 2008 Note: this is an archived article, and kept for historical purposes. |
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Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) officers are closely monitoring a live humpback whale stranded in shallow waters off Jurien Bay. The 10-metre, 15-tonne juvenile was spotted rolling on a reef yesterday and is now on the shore 1km south of Jurien Bay. DEC senior wildlife officer Doug Coughran said apart from some superficial damage sustained when the animal crossed the reef, there are no other signs indicating why it has come ashore. "We can only speculate that it is chronically ill," Mr Coughran said. Mr Coughran said due to the size of the whale intervention would not be possible. "The whale is so weak that it can't be rescued and moving such a large animal is not possible without causing it significant damage and distress, and it is too big to euthanase," he said. "With our extensive scientific and practical experience with whale strandings, the only humane option now is to try and keep the animal as comfortable as possible while nature takes its course. "The cool, damp weather is helping in this regard."Members of the public are urged not to approach the whale or attempt to push it back out to sea, as it is in very poor condition and should be allowed to remain calm. DEC will continue to provide updates on the whale's condition.
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