In what was billed as the first rescue operation of its kind, a massive whale calf (baby) stranded at Maharashtra’s famous Ganpatipule Beach, about 340 km from Mumbai, was eventually rescued and pushed back into the sea on Monday (November 16). A local resident said he was in the Arabian Sea early on Wednesday.
The massive operation involved the district fire brigade, police, fisheries department, Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and local volunteers who worked to save the whale from certain death after it washed ashore and were helpless in the shallow sandy waters during low tide. .
The unfortunate calf was spotted at dawn by some locals and tourists on the beach, stuck in the sand and struggling angrily to swim into the sea, and the local police and fisheries department, as well as the ICG, intervened in the incident and were notified.
The baby mammal was approximately 30 feet tall and was estimated to weigh more than four tons (4,000 kg), making it a challenging rescue mission. Two cranes were deployed to assist.
At one point, a team of veterinary doctors administered fluids to the confused and struggling baby to ensure he survived the ordeal.
news source (www.nationalheraldindia.com)
