Post by dalekal on Nov 1, 2010 5:42:39 GMT -5
Sounds of killer whales played to scare seals away from a fish farm instead attracted a pod of whales into a loch off the Outer Hebrides, it is thought.
Coastguards, conservationists and divers raced to the loch ready to mount a rescue operation on Thursday over fears of a mass stranding of the 24 pilot whales in South Uist.
Stornoway Coastguard said that a fish farm in the loch had been using the recorded sounds of a killer whale to scare away seals.
There were also reports that the pod had come into the sea loch to allow one of the group to calve.
"The seal scarer may have attracted the pod in. The fish farm has now turned off the recording," said a spokesman for Stornoway Coastguard.
"There is also the theory that the pod may be protecting the lead female who is sick - another that one of the group has given birth. We just do not know why they are in the loch."
Fish farmers used their boats to head off one possible stranding.
The super pod was first reported near the shallows in Loch Carnan on Wednesday.
The spokesman added that there were no reports of military activity in the area. Several mass strandings have been linked to the use of naval sonar in the past.
In addition the Scottish SPCA and divers from British Divers Marine Life Rescue checked on the super pod.
Two teams of volunteers, including ten medics from BDMLR and three inspectors from the Scottish SPCA - two of whom have also been trained by BDMLR - travelled from the mainland to the loch, taking three vehicles, two rescue trailers and four sets of rescue pontoons.
"The Scottish SPCA's auxiliary inspector based on the island is currently monitoring the whales and organising local volunteers to assist in the operation," said the BDMLR.
"The rescuers have also enlisted the help of Project Jonah, the New Zealand based marine mammal rescue organisation who have expertise and experience in mass whale strandings and will be providing advice over the phone."
Scottish SPCA Senior Inspector Andy Brown said: "Reported sighting suggest that the pod was circling and displaying laboured breathing yesterday, all signs that they may be in distress and in need of our help.
"We won't know the full extent of the situation until we are able to locate and assess the pod. However, we have quickly assembled an excellent team of people who will be working tirelessly together to get the best result we can for these magnificent creatures."
Ali Jack, BDMLR Scottish National Organiser who is leading the response team said: "The pod has been reported this morning as being lined up about 150 metres off shore, thankfully not having stranded overnight.
"However, their proximity to the coast and behaviour suggests that there is a strong potential for a stranding, so our combined team will be on hand to monitor the situation, assess potential stranding sites and move into action if necessary."
The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society is also monitoring the situation.
The pilot whale, like the killer whale, is a member of the dolphin family, which feeds primarily on squid but is also known to eat herring and other small fish.
Pilot whales can grow up to about 20ft and are among the most common marine mammals.
Coastguards, conservationists and divers raced to the loch ready to mount a rescue operation on Thursday over fears of a mass stranding of the 24 pilot whales in South Uist.
Stornoway Coastguard said that a fish farm in the loch had been using the recorded sounds of a killer whale to scare away seals.
There were also reports that the pod had come into the sea loch to allow one of the group to calve.
"The seal scarer may have attracted the pod in. The fish farm has now turned off the recording," said a spokesman for Stornoway Coastguard.
"There is also the theory that the pod may be protecting the lead female who is sick - another that one of the group has given birth. We just do not know why they are in the loch."
Fish farmers used their boats to head off one possible stranding.
The super pod was first reported near the shallows in Loch Carnan on Wednesday.
The spokesman added that there were no reports of military activity in the area. Several mass strandings have been linked to the use of naval sonar in the past.
In addition the Scottish SPCA and divers from British Divers Marine Life Rescue checked on the super pod.
Two teams of volunteers, including ten medics from BDMLR and three inspectors from the Scottish SPCA - two of whom have also been trained by BDMLR - travelled from the mainland to the loch, taking three vehicles, two rescue trailers and four sets of rescue pontoons.
"The Scottish SPCA's auxiliary inspector based on the island is currently monitoring the whales and organising local volunteers to assist in the operation," said the BDMLR.
"The rescuers have also enlisted the help of Project Jonah, the New Zealand based marine mammal rescue organisation who have expertise and experience in mass whale strandings and will be providing advice over the phone."
Scottish SPCA Senior Inspector Andy Brown said: "Reported sighting suggest that the pod was circling and displaying laboured breathing yesterday, all signs that they may be in distress and in need of our help.
"We won't know the full extent of the situation until we are able to locate and assess the pod. However, we have quickly assembled an excellent team of people who will be working tirelessly together to get the best result we can for these magnificent creatures."
Ali Jack, BDMLR Scottish National Organiser who is leading the response team said: "The pod has been reported this morning as being lined up about 150 metres off shore, thankfully not having stranded overnight.
"However, their proximity to the coast and behaviour suggests that there is a strong potential for a stranding, so our combined team will be on hand to monitor the situation, assess potential stranding sites and move into action if necessary."
The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society is also monitoring the situation.
The pilot whale, like the killer whale, is a member of the dolphin family, which feeds primarily on squid but is also known to eat herring and other small fish.
Pilot whales can grow up to about 20ft and are among the most common marine mammals.
