"Dozens of whales stranded in Everglades" by Suzette Laboy and Christine Armario | Associated Press, December 05, 2013
EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK, Fla. — Wildlife workers in boats struggled Wednesday to coax more than three dozen pilot whales out of dangerous shallow waters in Everglades National Park, hoping to spare them the fate of 10 others that already have died.
Six of the whales were found dead, and another four had to be euthanized Wednesday, said Blair Mase, coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s marine mammal stranding network. At least three could be seen on the beach, out of the water.
The whales are stranded in a remote area near Highland Beach, the western boundary of Everglades National Park and about 20 miles east of where they normally live. It takes more than an hour to reach the spot from the nearest boat ramp and there is no cellphone service, complicating rescue efforts.
Park spokeswoman Linda Friar said rescuers were trying to surround the whales, which were in roughly 3 feet of salt water about 75 feet from shore, and herd them back to sea.
Workers tried to nudge the whales out to sea earlier in the day with no success.
The short-finned pilot whales typically live in very deep water. Even if rescuers were able to begin nudging the 41 remaining whales out to sea, Mase said they would encounter a series of sandbars and patches of shallow water along the way.
This particular whale species is also known for its close-knit social groups, meaning if one whale gets stuck or stays behind, the others are likely to stay behind or even beach themselves as well.
That strikes at the heart, and makes one realize us humans are not as superior a species as we like to think.
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At least the pythons will now have something to eat.
Also see: Workers try again to save whales in Everglades
"Pods of 35 pilot whales slowly swam Thursday into deeper water off Florida’s southwest coast, raising optimism that the strandings of whales on Everglades National Park beaches may soon end on a positive note....
I think that is how I will end it tonight.
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Related: Sunday Globe Special: Sounding Off
Military radar and war games are also a culprit.
