Whale Rescue Attempt Fails Again

P R O V I N C E T O W N, Mass. July 10, 2001 -- Choppy seas and poor visibility thwarted marine scientists’ attempt today to aid an endangered North Atlantic right whale with rope entangled in its jaw.

Teri Frady, spokeswoman for the National Marine Fisheries Services, said that scientists located the whale, dubbed Churchill, but were unable to attempt the ambitious rescue to loosen or remove the line because of foul weather.

“It’s frustrating for everybody. We certainly are still hopeful that we can do some good, but the longer this goes on the higher the risk for the whale and for us,” Frady said.

The heavy nylon fishing rope has caused a serious infection that could eventually kill the 50-foot-long, 50-ton male whale, one of only about 300 North Atlantic right whales left in the world.

The entangled whale was first spotted June 8, about 80 miles east of Cape Cod. The whale has since been spotted swimming alone and in circles. A buoy remained attached to the fishing line.

The disentanglement team also attempted to sedate the whale and loosen or remove the rope late last month, but were unsuccessful. Poor weather has kept the rescue crews in port since last week.

Today, the rescuers left Provincetown Harbor at about 7:15 a.m. to rendezvous with the whale, last tracked about 45 miles off Cape Cod.

Frady said that after a plane located a satellite buoy attached to the whale, the two boats of marine scientists spent about four hours near the whale, with the last hour spent in thick fog.

The crew did manage to take a biopsy to assess the whale’s condition, and also attempted to use thermal imaging to ascertain its health. But the team was unable to launch smaller boats, sedate the whale and remove the line as planned.

She said the crew did see other whales in the area, indicating that there is still a plentiful food source for the whale to feed on.

Prospects Poor

Scientists may attempt to remove the line again on Wednesday, but weather conditions did not appear promising, Frady said.

“At present it doesn’t look like it’s going to be much more different than today,” she said. “When the visibility is not good, and the sea is not calm, it’s not safe to have people in those small boats.

Frady said the whale’s chance of survival remains poor.

“We’re attempting to improve his prospects,” she said. “His prospects are not good and his chances are still slim.”

Veterinarians have spent the last two weeks trying to come up with the proper concoction to sedate the whale so that rescuers could get close enough to cut the line and remove it from the infected flesh in its upper jaw.

Today’s attempt would have included a higher dose and a combination of the drugs Midazolam and Meperidine, Frady said.

Meperidine is a sedative that also acts as a painkiller, Frady said.

Technicians from North Carolina State University also joined today's expedition, operating an infrared camera system that could shed some light on the depth and extent of the whale’s injuries, said center senior scientist Charles “Stormy” Mayo.