A male pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps) stranded in St. Thomas on Friday afternoon, March 31^st, 2006.  Responding to reports from residents, staff from the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) and the National Environment and Planning Agency  (NEPA) attended the scene and made attempts to rehabilitate the young whale.  Roughly five feet long, the whale had been lacerated, possibly by rocks or the reef, and was in considerable distress.  The team floated the whale to calmer water, applied first aid, monitored breathing and made three attempts to get the whale to swim out to sea.  However, each time it returned to the beach.

“We tried to do what we could for this whale, to make it as comfortable as possible, but we were hampered by lack of equipment and expertise,” said Christine O’Sullivan, a marine biologist employed by JET.  Ms. O’Sullivan has received training in marine mammal strandings at the Cetacean Research and Rescue Unit in Scotland.  “It is not clear why whales strand.  Possible reasons are illness, dehydration, stranding with other pod members and noise from naval and industrial activities.”

Despite the efforts of JET and NEPA, the whale died at seven P.M.  With help from onlookers, the whale was transported to a cold storage facility to await necropsy.

“This experience shows we are insufficiently prepared for whale strandings.  We need people trained in first response around the island, as well as local veterinarians who are able to treat, euthanize or perform necropsies on stranded whales,” said JET’s Chief Executive Officer, Diana McCaulay.  “Also, it is important to start building a data base on marine mammal strandings in Jamaica.”         

Pygmy sperm whales are distributed worldwide in tropical to temperate oceanic waters.    Capable of deep, long dives, they are often solitary or found in small groups.  When under stress, they release an ink-like substance, darkening surrounding water.  Their abundance is uncertain.

 

Contacts:

Christine O’Sullivan                                               

Marine Biologist  

&

Diana McCaulay

Chief Executive Officer                                                       

Jamaica Environment Trust                                       

11 Waterloo Road                                                      

Kingston 10                                                                

Phone : (876) 960-3693                                             

Cell : (876) 370-4388