NEWS OF TODAY ~ Baby Whale returned to sea

DAILY EXPRESS

BABY WHALE RETURNED TO SEA
Published on: Thursday, January 12, 2012

Kota Kinabalu: The rescued pygmy killer whale, nick-named Straps by those who had a chance to get acquainted with him, was released back into the sea, Wednesday.
According to Dr Lindsay Porter of the St Andrew's University's Sea Mammal Research Unit, Straps' situation has improved since he was rescued on Tuesday after it was found stranded on Tg Aru beach.

"Straps seems wanting to eat some food last night and this morning he seems to want to go out to the open ocean.

"So we chose this time to release him back to the sea because it is a good time for these species," said Porter as she prepared to dive into the sea with some of the others.

She said pygmy killer whales (Feresa attenuata), are most active at dawn, dusk and at night. For the past the 30 hours, Straps was given support by volunteers from L.E.A.P., Sabah Wildlife Department, WWF- Malaysia and Shangri-la's Tg Aru Resort and Spa staff.

Straps was also kept afloat by a life jacket which was strapped under his belly before he was hoisted unto a boat to be sent out to sea.
He showed little sign of injury while aid workers tried to help him, taking turns alternately, every 15 minutes, to support Straps stay afloat in the small lagoon near the resort where he was transferred shortly after it was found.

According to Porter, it is hard to determine what caused the animal to be stranded.
"Externally, he does not have any injury É even if he had disease or infection we cannot treat because we don't know how to treat this type of species," she said.
Straps was hoisted back to sea at about 5.10pm with the assistance of L.E.A.P. and Borneo Dream.

The mammal was transported via speedboat.
Meanwhile, head of marine conservation, WWF Malaysia, Ken Kassem said that 30-hour rest will enable Straps to recuperate and return to its natural habitat.