A little out of their territory.....

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/01/18...g.ap/index.html

Whales showing up where they don't belong is not usually a good sign. Maybe we should get them a map. :lol: :P

I've never even heard of right whales, :huh: shows how much I know. Thats so sad though, only 300 of their kind left...thats horrible. I hope everything gets cleared up and they can continue their journey safely. :)

I guess this says it all. w:

One of the latest emerging stories regarding the health of whales and other marine creatures draws a connection between some of the recent mass beachings and other aberrant behavior to sonar testing.

There is quite a bit of evidence suggesting that the sonar pulses not only damage the inner ear of marine mammals (causing disorientation) but also create bubbles in their vital organs, similar to the Bends.

Factor that in with the effect of too much warm water in the oceans and we're bound to see a lot more strange and tragic stories from the sea.

Here's another whale tale:

Whale Brings Gawkers, Concern in London By ERIKA PENNINGTON, Associated Press Writer


A lost and likely sick whale swam up the River Thames past Parliament and Big Ben in central London on Friday, attracting huge crowds and a police boat escort before nearly beaching itself on the shallow riverbank.

The Northern bottlenose whale appeared to be about 20 feet long, witnesses said. The whale, which usually is found in the cold waters of the North Atlantic, was about 40 miles from the mouth of the Thames on the North Sea.

Tom Howard-Vyne said he saw the marine mammal swim under Westminster Bridge near Big Ben.

"I saw it blow. It was a spout of water which sparkled in the air," he said. "It was an amazing sight."

TV stations followed the marine mammal with live coverage as it wandered into shallow water near the muddy banks of the tidal waterway. The whale appeared to get stuck several times, and officials wearing yellow jackets could be seen running up and down the shoreline at low tide trying to push it back into deeper water.

The British Divers Marine Life Rescue group said it would help the whale if it became stranded. A police boat accompanied the whale, apparently to shield it from other ships in the river.

Richard Sabian, a zoologist at the Natural History Museum in London, said such whales rarely swim in the nearby English Channel, and this was the first sighting of one in the River Thames since the museum began recording them in 1913.

A minke whale was seen in the Thames about six years ago, but not as far downstream, the museum said.

"The fact that it is swimming upstream is not a good sign," said Alison Shaw, a manager of the Zoological Society of London, Marine & Freshwater Conservation Program. "The whale must be confused or ill."

The Northern bottlenose whale is found in the North Atlantic and can reach nearly 30 feet in length and weigh nearly 8 tons.

They are known as curious animals, readily approaching boats and normally traveling in groups, according to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society's Web site.

"The whale's chances are not particularly good," Sabian said. "We hope it will swim back to sea."

Mark Simmonds, director of the Science, Whale & Dolphin Conservation Society, said the whale may be debilitated.

"When whales turned up in strange places before, they have been old, sick or wounded," Simmonds said.

I wonder, couldn't they air-lift it back out into the ocean?

As far as I know, whales and dolphins do need to stay wet, so I'm not sure that air-lifting is a plausible solution. Also whales in particular are very heavy animals. You would need one big helicopter to air-lift a whale.

Yeah, sorry, I should have been more clear:unsure: . I watched this thing once where they air lifted a whale to a different habitat while people constantly dropped water on it. It wasn't a very long ride so i think that's why it worked. How far away is the inlet from the whales position???

I just wish there was something more they could to help then just watch and hope it will find its way out. <_<

Very true on the Helicopter situation...dang!

DearHeart

I think Right whales were given that name cos they floated when harpooned. Not terribly pleasant way to get a name but it's stuck.

The RAF has Chinook helicopters, they should be able to lift 6 ton. They can lift field guns so....! You're an ideas girl!

Cheers beer:

Andy

The whale is going to be taken back down the river by barge and is on its way now if you are wanting to see live pictures then they are avalible on www.bbc.co.uk and also live on sky news.

Me I have the best views as i live in london right next to the river :D

They have just said that there is another one been found dead on the banks at putney but it is yet to be confirmed if it is a whale


Matt

You're right Andy. They were given the name bacuae they were "The Right Whale to Harpoon"

they are now talking of a need for a sea worthy ship to meet them at the esturay and it also needs a crane so they really need a salvage ship i guess as they are wanting to take it out to southend on sea

any one got any good connections that has a big ship in the uk ? and wanting a lot of free publicity?

Matt

here u go a nice pic of the whale, the animal they found earlier i stated about has been confirmed as a poipoise

matt

hi all according to the news the whale has died at about 19:00 of convultions it was a great effort made by the people involved and the bdmlr

mat

[B][FONT=Impact][SIZE=7][COLOR=blue]I think that we should all do something to help with the stopping of the killing of many of our beautiful creatures both aquatic and flora and fauna and with all the hype over this whale I think this would be a great time, I am sorry that this beautiful creature has died but let it not be in vain so come on lets get some great ideas going and then put them in to action

Matt

On the news last night it was reported that the whale in London had died. They did lift it on to a barge to take it back to the ocean, but the poor thing couldn't stand the trip. We are not carfule of the sealife and many of the things we take for granted (radar, radar jamming for security) are harming the aquatic life. Chemicals in the water and other forms of waste that are entering our waters need to be contained. We must share the world in a way that does no harm to each other. snor:

Well, in a way this story is amazing. About 20 years ago, there was no way you would have seen marine LIFE up the Thames, never mind one dying. The Thames was extremely polluted, and they started cleaning up, with the effect that dolphins, porpoises etc were again seen in the river.

I had been trying to catch the news on the radio all day to find out what was happening with the whale as I had to work yesterday, I just knew something bad would happen there is something definitely odd going on in the waters at present. :(

You sound like Dirk on the trail of some pollutant!!!

HEY ALL DONNT KNOW IF ANY OF YOU ARE INTRESTED BUT THERE AS 3 ITEMS ON EBAY IN REGARDS TO RAISING FUNDS FOR THE BDMLR THEY ARE

THE WATERING CAN USED ON THE WHALE

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/London-UK-Thames-Wha...1QQcmdZViewItem

A DOLPHIN DIARY

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

A BIG CUDDLEY WHALE

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

MATT

Dirk? DIRK? I am disgusted Erica yike:










j:

WHAT?!?!?!!?!?!? I am so confused!!! Should I have said it sounds like one of those missions that Dirk undertook following your example?!?!?! :lol:

Noooooo, but you could have said it sounded like Al on a mission ;)

More bad news. A female sperm whale got stranded in the River Humber and despite rescue attepmts she died :(

Thats terrible :( I agree Kelly, it does seem like odd happenings are afoot. I hope it stops.

Another Whale Dies :(

----
Marine experts to examine whale

A large sperm whale which was washed up on the Lincolnshire coast will be examined by marine experts.
The young male was found on the beach near North Shore Road in Skegness by lifeboat crews on Wednesday.

Experts from the Natural History Museum and the Zoological Society of London are expected to visit the town to see if they need the mammal for research.

Officials from East Lindsey District Council will meet contractors on Thursday to discuss its removal.

The 30ft whale is believed to have got into difficulty after coming out of the Atlantic Ocean.

A three ton Minke Whale was found on shore at Gibraltar Point near Skegness in October 2005.

Darn global warming... :unsure: