Supporters' whale wishes: Save it!
A whale that washed up yesterday morning near Main Beach continues to struggle in the surf in East Hampton Wednesday, April 7, 2010. Credit: Photo by Gordon M. Grant
Chuck Bowman, president of the marine mammal rescue program at the Riverhead Foundation, says the young humpback whale beached in East Hampton since Tuesday morning won't make it. There's nothing that can be done. And it may have to be euthanized.
Now Bowman and supporting experts are getting an online harpooning.
"It's dying, and there's not a whole lot we can do about that," he told Newsday in an interview.
But the Web world doesn't believe him.
Newsday.com's story has gotten about 90 comments, most of which advocate for finding a way to save Willy. And, setting aside the apparent reality of the situation, people have plenty of ideas.
Here's a taste:
stnkyferit
...I'm no marine biologist or vet, but c'mon already! Bring her into deeper water, rig something like a harness to contain her. I am sure that a fishing boat can be converted to hoist her temporarily on deck so that she can be transported to a containment area. Is there room at Mystic? Formula feed her with a tube! SEAWORLD DOES THIS STUFF ALL THE TIME! CALL THEM!!!
MercyPlease
Maybe it's Sonar will reconnect with marine helpers (ie MOM or Community)- Maybe, Just Maybe- it's old enough to fend for itself- It's ceratinly dispalying that WILL right now! C'mon LI - Give a BABY a Chance- Who Knows- It's Mom may find it! -Better than giving up alltogether!! And Leave it To Nature then, if Marine Experts Won't Help!! At Least It Has A Chance!!
JeffAndrew
I don't believe there is nothing that can be done to save her. When there is a will, there is a way. Bring equipment, bring a rifle with sedative to put her to sleep temporarily, use a helicopter to move her to a pool and heal her. Then send her back to the water. Or, bring equipment to push her slowly to deeper water, inside a cage or something, so she can resurface. and help her there. How in the heck people got those whales into Sea World anyway. It can be done!!! Let's do it.
Then there are others, like David Rattiner in the Dan's Daily blog, who say the whale should have been put out of its misery already.
Bowman, for his part, says the whale could be harmed if moved.
"One flip of its tail, you could break your arm, you could break your neck," Bowman said in the Newsday story. Bowman said his group was working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and others. It had ruled out a rescue of the whale, given its condition and the strength of the surf.
