NINETEEN pilot whales beached at Noordhoek Beach in Cape Town yesterday morning.
Five of the whales died, said the city’s disaster management centre spokesman Wilfred Solomons-Johannes.
Police, sea rescue and other services were on the scene trying to hose down the 14 surviving whales.
National Sea Rescue Institute spokesman Craig Lambinon said attempts were being made to help rescue the surviving whales.
“The option being looked at is to try and refloat them, or to have them driven to Simonstown and have them taken out to sea,” he said.
“At this stage we are keeping them alive on the beach using water and blankets.”
Lambinon appealed to the public to stay away from the beach as there were more than enough personnel on the scene.
Marine biologists do not fully understand why whales beach but there are many theories.
KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board head of operations Mike Anderson-Reade said one theory was that when a pod leader was caught in shallow water, the others followed.
“They then get disoriented and find their way to shore,” he said.
Another theory was that when one of the lead whales fell ill, it beached and the others followed.
“But these are all just theories.
Efforts to save surviving beached whales
Five of the whales died, said the city’s disaster management centre spokesman Wilfred Solomons-Johannes.
Police, sea rescue and other services were on the scene trying to hose down the 14 surviving whales.
National Sea Rescue Institute spokesman Craig Lambinon said attempts were being made to help rescue the surviving whales.
“The option being looked at is to try and refloat them, or to have them driven to Simonstown and have them taken out to sea,” he said.
“At this stage we are keeping them alive on the beach using water and blankets.”
Lambinon appealed to the public to stay away from the beach as there were more than enough personnel on the scene.
Marine biologists do not fully understand why whales beach but there are many theories.
KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board head of operations Mike Anderson-Reade said one theory was that when a pod leader was caught in shallow water, the others followed.
“They then get disoriented and find their way to shore,” he said.
Another theory was that when one of the lead whales fell ill, it beached and the others followed.
“But these are all just theories.
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