Just days ago, a humpback whale failed to survive after entering London’s Thames river (see link below). And a fellow northern bottlenose whale was another, famous victim of the Thames back in 2006.
But this time, the whale involved seems to be healthy and in control of its destiny – despite having remained in, for the species, highly unnatural waters for at least four days.
The whale, judged to be about 9m long, has been nicknamed Gilbert after the RNLI lifeguard, Nick ‘Gilbert’ Smith, who spotted the creature on 14 September off Branscombe, in Devon.
Since then Gilbert has been seen cruising about in Poole Bay and near Bournemouth Pier.
A team from British Divers Marine Life Rescue first got out in a RIB to assess the whale’s condition on 16 September.
BDMLR noted that the whale was spending a lot of the time submerged, indicating that it had a healthy appetite and was hunting for fish.
And, BDMLR’s Trevor Weeks told the BBC, its “explosive” exhale again indicated a healthy animal.
The whale should not, however, really be in a “shallow location like this” – and Weeks urged boaters not to attempt to approach it, as this “could make him strand”.
As the whale remained in local waters yesterday, 17 September, BDMLR was preparing to dive at positions within the whale’s cruising area to assess whether there really was sufficient food to sustain it.
Even small fish are a short-term option – although the bottlenose normally feeds on squid which hydrate it well.
Weeks acknowledged the volunteers’ powerlessness in trying to persuade the whale to move on. It would have to do so of its own volition.
He also recognised that a rare situation was developing. "In these situations, usually the whales quickly deteriorate before beaching or getting stranded,” he said.
"But this is a very unusual case where Gilbert seems perfectly happy swimming and feeding so close to shore.
"We have yet to inspect him closely but the signs are positive.”
*Divers running out of Seahouses, Northumberland on 13 September saw what they and the skipper of their charter boat Glad Tidings VII believed to be a humpback whale (pictured).
Seen in “the shallower area of water between Longstone and Knifestone”, the whale, diver Julie Forrest told Divernet, was “blowing and would appear above the surface from time to time”.
It had first been spotted by the boat skipper, William Shiel, “as it leapt out of the sea in the deeper water at one end of the island [Longstone]”.
Related links
Rare humpback stranding
Whale rescue bid helps draw volunteers (19/01/2007)
Events recall Thames whale bid (17/01/2007)
London whale: ills confirmed (6/10/2006)
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