Jakarta animal network identified the mammals as pilot whales AFP Photo
A sad day for a pod of 44 pilot whales that stranded in Indonesia. When the whales stranded their were not enough people to get them back into the water as noted in the article by “The Telegraph”:
A total of 44 pilot whales beached themselves late Monday on the island of Savu in East Nusa Tenggara province, where there is a culture of whale hunting for consumption.
“Locals have hacked into around 11 whales so far and will probably use the flesh for meat,” Savu fishery office chief Dominggus Widu Hau said.
“When local fishermen found them before midnight, they were all still alive. But it was already late and there were not enough people to help push them back in.”
More than a dozen fishermen, navy and police officers were still struggling Tuesday afternoon to keep the three surviving whales alive.
Jakarta Animal Aid Network identified the mammals, which lay stranded around 500 feet from the coastline, as pilot whales. Those beached were between six and 16 feet long.(source)
A story such as this should make us so grateful for the marine mammal medics that volunteer who medically assist stranded dolphins and whales worldwide. It takes a large group of trained people to save a pod such as this. They might not have a chance to survive, but then again they might have.
In addition, what kind of activity was going on in that area? See the naval map for activities in that area here. Seismic testing is a possibility as well but no leads at this time. You can always check ships and their locations here
Thanks to Jakarta animal network who identified the pod and for all their great work with animals and cetaceans in Indonesia. Whales and dolphins in Indonesia need our support. Please drop them an email or visit their site to see what you can do to help.
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So why the denial Cape Cod? Where is the advocacy for the dolphins and whales who are having to contend with an aggressive Naval program that is only expanding. Why is this allowed to continue? Many people seem unaware that NOAA has signed permits for the Navy to “take” huge numbers of dolphins and whales as “incidental” to sonar, underwater detonations, and other Wartime activities:
This letter of Authorization is just for the Atlantic ocean alone!
How are these numbers acceptable. Up to 21,2212 common dolphins can be “taken” meaning killed or harassed by the U.S. Navy. What does this mean for dolphins? Each year the death and destruction will increase as sonar becomes more powerful and as the U.S. Navy continues to increase the use.
Why do government funded scientists and marine mammals specialists seem to be looking the other way when it come to the Navy? Could it be all in the name of science. It seems because this is a new area of study government funded some scientists are clamoring to get in on the data and studies.
“It’s amazing work,” she said.
How could anyone call this amazing? This video was taken in 2003. Imagine how advanced sonar is today, louder with pings traveling farther.Thanks to scientists on the West Coast dedicated to saving cetaceans from sonar control the Navy’s sonar activities will not be swept under the rug!
Is the suffering of dolphins and whales from these sonar exercises worth the “data”. Is the trade off worth it? Come on world open your eyes to the terrible suffering. Together we can silence deadly sonar!
Please take a moment and contact Jim Levy in who has signed these terrible Letters of Authorization for the Navy to “take” dolphins and whales incidental to sonar use. Let him know we will not accept the increased use of sonar by the Navy! We believe homeland security is important but not when it is causing such suffering in our ocean cousins. Request information on any upcoming permits for sonar that he has not authorized!
jim.lecky@noaa.gov
Join us as we fight to silence sonar and air-guns before it destroys all the whales and dolphins in the ocean!
Champions for Cetaceans 