Free Willy! Massive 6m false killer whale stranded on a sandbar rescued by locals in marathon 12-hour mission

  • It was rescued after a marathon 12-hour operation by sea rangers and locals 
  • The whale was beached in Top End waters when it was found by spear fishers 
  • Umbakumba residents found the whale in distress and thrashing about 
  • The whale was less than co-operative during the rescue operation 
  • After several hours, the mammal was moved into deeper waters 

By Australian Associated Press and Tanya Li for Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

A stranded 6m false killer whale has been rescued in waters off a remote Northern Territory island after a marathon 12-hour operation by sea rangers, locals and traditional owners.

It was the first time a false killer whale had become beached in Top End waters when it was found by spear fishers on a shallow sandbar inside Umbakumba Lagoon at Groote Eylandt last Friday.

'The alarm was raised by some local Umbakumba residents who discovered the unusual visitor in distress and thrashing about,' Anindilyakwa Land & Sea Rangers Manager Adrian Hogg said.

Anindilyakwa Land & Sea Rangers, Traditional Owners and local residents spent 12 hours rescuing the false killer whale

Anindilyakwa Land & Sea Rangers, Traditional Owners and local residents spent 12 hours rescuing the false killer whale

The false killer whale was stranded and rescued in Top End waters off a remote NT island last Friday

The false killer whale was stranded and rescued in Top End waters off a remote NT island last Friday

'We kept the false killer whale wet with buckets of water which prevents marine mammals from sunburn and (covered) it in wet sheets and blankets until we were able to re-float the large dolphin as the tide came in.'

The whale was less than co-operative during the rescue operation, the Anindilyakwa Land & Sea Rangers said in a statement posted to Facebook. 

'As the boat approached the whale it swam away from the boat and rangers were able to pursue the animal along the entire length of the Umbakumba sand spit almost 6 km,' the statement read.

'However the whale was less than co-operative and often tried to evade the pursuing small ranger boat and return to travelling in an easterly direction back towards the lagoon and became stuck several times on sand bars near the lagoon entrance where Rangers had to leave the small boat and manually move the animal in shallow water as the tide dropped to prevent it becoming stranded again.' 

Locals kept the false killer whale wet with buckets of water which prevents marine mammals from sunburn

Locals kept the false killer whale wet with buckets of water which prevents marine mammals from sunburn

it was found by spear fishers on a shallow sandbar inside Umbakumba Lagoon at Groote Eylandt last Friday

it was found by spear fishers on a shallow sandbar inside Umbakumba Lagoon at Groote Eylandt last Friday

After several hours, the mammal was moved into deeper waters in the Gulf of Carpentaria before heading northeast into the open sea

After several hours, the mammal was moved into deeper waters in the Gulf of Carpentaria before heading northeast into the open sea

After several hours, the mammal was moved into deeper waters in the Gulf of Carpentaria before heading northeast into the open sea.

'Thank you to everyone involved who helped rescue the false killer whale last Friday night and throughout Saturday,' Mr Hogg said.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) senior marine mammal scientist Dr Carol Palmer said false killer whales are a large dolphin ranging from four to six metres in length.

They live to about 70 years of age, are slow breeders and live in small tight clan groups, Dr Palmer said. 

 

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