Animals Marine and Fisheries 

False killer whale rushed to rescue center after beaching on northeast coast

composite image of beached whale rescue and rehabilitation facility
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Marine conservationists are working in shifts in an attempt to keep a dolphin alive after it was found stranded on a beach at Su’ao in Yilan County, yesterday, November 17.

False killer whale stranded on beach
False killer whale stranded on beach at Su’ao, Yilan County, Taiwan, November 17, 2021.

The false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens), which is actually a species of oceanic dolphin, was reported stranded at around noon. Coast Guard officers and a veterinarian went to the scene to evaluate the dolphin’s condition and provide assistance. After examining the animal the coast guard and volunteers from the Taiwan Cetacean Society rushed the dolphin to the Badouzi Rescue Station at Badouzi Fishing Port in Keelung City.

Coast Guard officers and volunteers carry false killer whale into specialized rehabilitation facility at Badouzi Fishing Port in Keelung City. Picture: Council of Agriculture Fisheries Department.

The Taiwan Cetacean Society described the individual as a juvenile female with a body length of 320 centimeters, and an estimated weight of between 300 and 400 kilograms. An adult false killer whale has a mature body size four to six meters with a weight of up to 2,200 kilograms. TCS said that the animal was weak and underweight, but had no obvious signs of trauma.

TCS said that strandings of false killer whales are rare, and it is even rarer to find one alive. Volunteers worked through the night to take care of the dolphin.

volunteers and veterinarians assist dolphin in rehabilitation pool.
Volunteers and vets at rescue center in Keelung City. Picture: Council of Agriculture Fisheries Department.
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