Getting to grips with how to save a whale
The annual Project Jonah training event took place at Nelson’s Tahunanui Beach on Saturday, ‘‘rescuing’’ a life-size, lifeweight dolphin and pilot whale.
Project Jonah coordinator Louisa Hawkes said the volunteers were put through their paces after a morning of learning whale rescue theory. They had to work to keep the 150-kilogram dolphin and two-tonne whale models ‘‘cool, comfortable and calm’’.
‘‘This is all the real gear. It’s an opportunity to practise in a way that’s as real as possible,’’ Hawkes said.
Once the trainees completed the course, they would be considered qualified ‘‘marine mammal medics’’ and added to the national callout list as emergency responders to strandings, she said.
‘‘New Zealand is the whale stranding capital of the world. We have an average of 300 whales strand every year, either individually or in pods.
‘‘There were 600 whales stranded in one event last year. By training locals, they’re either going to find strandings or they can come in and help out.’’
Hawkes said usually the first step was cooling the animals down. ‘‘The sun is a huge stressor for them, and these animals are full of blubber, so they heat up fast.’’
She said anyone who found stranded whales should immediately call the Department of Conservation or Project Jonah.
People can sign up for next year’s training events at Project Jonah’s website.