A healthy humpback whale jumping in the Pacific Ocean.
Explosives were reportedly used in Perth, Australia, to euthanize a terminally ill baby humpback whale that had been stranded for two weeks on the country's western coast.
The whale, about 30 feet long, was given a "lethal explosion" to the brain, according to local news reports.
"It's ugly but it's also a fast and one of the few ways to euthanize a whale that's stranded and in distress for too long," said Ken Balcomb, the executive director and research biologist for the Center for Whale Research since 1985. The Center, located on the Pacific Northwest's San Juan Island, is nonpolitical.
Balcomb, who has euthanized several whales, said there are essentially two ways to end the mammal's life if there is no hope of healing it and freeing it. One can either exact a controlled explosion or cut the throat.
"If a whale has been in that spot for two weeks, you have to assume that its brain is not functioning, that it's in a twilight zone, and isn't really aware of what's happening," Balcomb said.
The longer a whale is out of water the more pressure builds on the mammal's organs, he said. "These are sad things, but they happen and the public should know that there's nothing else sometimes that can be done."
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Why dont we fence in our beaches out say a mile with some kind of ocean wire netting so when these whales and dolphins try to beach they can't? I think that would work better, we would probably have less drowings and ocean accidents and less beaching of marine animals.
if the US cant fence of it's border, what makes you think Australia can fence of its coastline
And what about all the birds and sea turtles that would get caught and drown?
Very depressing, but if the whale is suffering with no hopes of recovery then the most humane thing should be done. Do they know why the whale is stuck? Is it just one? Poor whale.
Why can't they euthanize it with drugs? THis doesn't sound humane to me in any way.
getting whales high would do absolutely nothing.
and you'd need a LOT of drugs. like to euthanize a whale with drugs would take literally gallons of it. not to mention finding a vein through all that blubber.
omg, i've never laughed so hard at posted comments . . .
aside from that, why in the world would you let a natural process take its course when you can take matters into your own hands and have fun with explosives besides?
whales have been beaching themselves for time on end, yet the superior intellect of man must intervene and speed up the process. god forbid we allow mother nature to do her work.
If this animal was surely in a twilight zone and unaware of the happenings (ie. expanding organs) as you clam Balcomb, why was it struggling when you blew its head?
Speaking of whales exploding. Who remembers this?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4096586/
If I was a beached whale on its last legs (fins?), I'd opt to go out with a bang than to have my throat slit. If you throw in a few roman candles, then we got a deal !
This is how I want to euthanize all of my pets...and not just the sick ones.
OMG! My Tail! My Tail! I cant feel my tail! Ahhhh!
All (esp. Wzrd1), thanks for the laugh! I needed that this morning, spilled coffee and all.
So let me see if I got this straight....I got this funny looking hat with all of these wires strapped to my head, right? Next thing is Im gunna think about home back in the bay at Gulligan's Island.....am I right so far? Then I click my fins together like this and......
PETA is probably looking for a hitman right now.
Cue music from the Lion King....
"It's the circle...the circle of life.....Boom!"
Walt would be proud.
here is what the whale was thinking....
"i was just chillin onthe beach trying to get a tan then BOOM they exploded my head..."
Humane? Says who? Humans?
why doesn't our government do nothing but kill the stranded whales?