The two remaining survivors of a pilot whale stranding near Cudjoe Key in May have been reunited at SeaWorld of Orlando.
The 1,010-pound adult female known as 300 was placed in a sling and lifted by crane into a truck equipped with a water-filled tank for transport from the Marine Mammal Conservancy in Key Largo to Orlando late Sunday.
SeaWorld said the marine mammal made the trip without incident. The whale has been placed in a pool with 301, the pilot whale calf that was transported from the Marine Mammal Conservancy to SeaWorld in late July.
A total of 23 pilot whales stranded May 5 off Cudjoe Key. Most died at the scene, but two adult males were healthy enough to be returned to deep water.
Five remaining whales were transported to the MMC for treatment, but three were either euthanized or died, leaving 300 and 301.
301 was the youngest survivor. It's been renamed Fredi by SeaWorld and weighs about 900 pounds. Apparently healthy, Fredi was deemed too young to have learned survival skills essential to survive in the open water.
The larger animal, 12 feet long, suffers from curvature of the spine and lung problems. "Her injuries are too severe to withstand the rigors of survival in the wild," according to Micah Brodsky, MMC's staff veterinarian.
SOURCE: http://www.keysnet.com/2011/09/14/377689/second-stranded-pilot-whale-arrives.html
No comments:
Post a Comment