A juvenile humpback whale that beached at Sandy Bay on Sunday March 5 was later euthanised as it was found to be in ill health.
At 9am, NSRI Hout Bay, NSRI Bakoven and NSRI Kommetjie dispatched sea rescue craft to Sandy Bay following eye-witness accounts of a beached whale.
On arrival at the scene, they discovered that an eight-metre humpback had beached and volunteers used water to cool the whale, which was in shallow water.
“The Marine Animal Stranding Network was activated and the City of Cape Town dispatched Law Enforcement and Disaster Risk Manage-
ment and Veterinary Surgeons together with the Department of Environmental Affairs Oceans and Coasts, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the SA Police Services. NSRI were released from the scene at around midday,” said NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon.
It was determined by vets that the whale was ill and officials humanely euthanised the whale. “NSRI Hout Bay were requested to assist again later in the day and NSRI Hout Bay dispatched sea rescue craft to return to the scene at 3pm where the carcass was removed to Hout Bay. The City of Cape Town cleansing department the removed the whale for disposal.”
In December, the carcass of a nine-metre humback was found floating about 1.6km off Llandudno Beach. It was believed the whale had been struck by a passing ship.
