Efforts to Save Juvenile Humpback Whale Fail

Sadly, a juvenile Humpback whale, beached at Robberg Nature Reserve, Plettenberg Bay has unavoidably been humanely euthanised by marine authorities, assisted by Police, despite extensive efforts to try to save the whale.

Jaco Kruger, NSRI Plettenberg Bay station commander, said: At 14h39, Monday, 19 May, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew, Cape Nature rangers and the Plettenberg Bay Marine Animal Stranding Network were activated following reports of a whale appearing to be beaching at Robberg Nature Reserve, at The Wild Side.

Our NSRI Plettenberg Bay crew responded to our NSRI Plettenberg Bay station 14 rescue base while additional NSRI crew responded to the land side at Robberg to hike to the scene.

Our NSRI rescue craft Ray Farnham Rescuer, Eric Stratford and Courtenays Rescuer were launched while additional NSRI crew, Cape Nature rangers and members of the Plettenberg Bay Marine Animal stranding Network responded.

On arrival on the scene the approximately 7 meter juvenile Humpback whale was found beaching in shallow surf.

The teams, assisted by bystander Good Samaritans, conducted extensive efforts to re-float the whale through the surf zone in a rising tide including efforts to tow the whale to deeper waters using our NSRI rescue craft.

Sadly despite all of the extensive efforts deployed the whale continued to beach and it was deemed, by the authorities, to be no longer viable to save.

On Tuesday morning marine authorities, assisted by the SA Police Services, humanely euthanised the whale.

Samples of the whale have been collected by marine scientists for Necropsy.

Bystander Good Samaritans, and all involved in trying to save the whale, are commended for the extensive efforts.