Navy, Wildlife Dept. save stranded wales in Kudawe

Eleven pilot whales stranded off the shore on  Kudawa in Kalpitiya on Sautrday were guided back into deep waters by the Navy and wildlife officials.A navy team aided the rescue effort alongside local fishermen who raised the alarm when they spotted the pod after midnight near the resort village of Kudawa.

“There were 14 of them and three were dead on coming ashore,” wildlife officer Eranda Gamage told the media.

“They had to be taken into the deeper seas so that they would not come back to the shore. The navy took them in their boats and dropped them.”

Pilot whales grow up to six metres (20 feet) long and weigh a tonne. They are highly social.The causes of mass strandings remain unknown despite scientists studying the phenomenon for decades.

In November 2020, Lankan rescuers managed to save 120 pilot whales in a grueling overnight effort that also involved the Navy.Three pilot whales and one dolphin died of injuries following the mass beaching at Panadura.

The Navy said in a media statement: “The naval establishment SLNS Vijaya in the Northwestern Naval Command spotted about 14 whales stranded on Kudawa Beach. Having quickly deployed to the scene to assess the situation and provide assistance, the Navy coordinated with the Department of Wildlife Conservation and residents of the area and successfully guided the whales back into the deeper waters of the ocean.

“The Department of Wildlife Conservation confirmed that three whales have unfortunately died. The pod of whales is believed to be Short–Finned Pilot Whales.”