Pilot whales die on Coquet Island
The heartbreaking story of six Pilot whales that died on Coquet Island hit the national news recently.
Six Pilot whales have died on Coquet Island. Photo: British Divers Marine Life Rescue
A team from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue led the attempted rescue and their report is below:
Late afternoon on Sunday 20 September, British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) were alerted to a pod of pilot whales near to shore off Warkworth, Northumberland. Medics were called to the scene and more put on standby while observations were made of the situation and a plan of action agreed.
It was ascertained that there were approximately 40 pilot whales behaving in a distressed manner typically seen prior to a stranding event. Local boats were then launched with Medics aboard to attempt herding them offshore away from the danger of stranding.
Unfortunately the whales did not respond to this and a number of them steadfastly remained tightly packed around one of the largest animals in the group that was laying motionless on their side. As it got dark the herding attempt had to be stood down as it was no longer possible to see the animals and operate safely around them.
The following morning our team including a veterinarian returned to Coquet Island where six animals remained. An assessment took place on each, which confirmed all were now deceased. They all appear to be female and a mix of adults and juveniles. In the meantime, the search for the other members of the pod continued, but so far there have been no further sightings. BDMLR spotters are positioned along the coast with licensed and authorised drones plus aircraft from Civil Air Support assisting. Additional vessels along the coast are also keeping watch and will alert us if anything is seen.
We would like to thank our volunteers and the RSPB team who were working under very difficult conditions and time-limited circumstances for their incredible efforts, to Puffin Cruises for boat transport for our team and equipment, and to Civil Air Support for assistance in checking the area from the air for signs of the other animals.
Sarah Dalyrymple, RSPB Northumberland Coast Manager, told The Ambler: “RSPB staff have been providing local support and assistance under the direction of BDMLR and we are continuing to work alongside partners as the situation develops.
“This has been a challenging few days for the Coquet Team and upsetting to witness for all concerned, and we are hugely appreciative of the incredible efforts made by BDMLR.”
Sarah cautioned against people drawing conclusions about the incident: “It would be inappropriate to speculate about the causes of the stranding. Any assessment will be a matter for the relevant marine mammal experts and authorities”
