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American Morning
Dozens of Pilot Whales Back Where They Belong
Aired July 30, 2002 - 09:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Dozens of pilot whales are back where they belong this morning, out at sea, after a stunning sight for Monday. Fifty-five stranded on a Cape Cod Beach. Rescue volunteers and vacationers wrapped wet towels and blankets around them and tried to push the two-ton mammals back into the ocean. Forty were saved; nine died on the hot beach. But rescue workers there pulled off some heroics from yesterday.
A.J. Cady is with the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and he's our guest this morning.
Good to see you. Good morning to you. Congratulations.
A.J. CADY, INTL., FUND FOR ANIMAL WELFARE: Good morning. Thank you.
HEMMER: What was your biggest concern? It was a hot day. Your pouring sea water all over the whiles. You're dripping blankets over them and sheets. Of all of that, what concerned you the most, A.J.?
CADY: I think the greatest concern is, it's a combination of sunburn for the animals, and just the tremendous stress that they're under, because they're so supremely designed to be in the water. And when they get up on to sand like that, they can almost crush themselves from the own weight.
HEMMER: So your concern is to get them back in the water. They can be sunburned.
CADY: Yes, they can actually be sunburned. They are marine mammals. Just like us, they are very sense to sun and heat.
HEMMER: Have you been able to determine, and I know a lot of this is science and a lot of it is not a sure answer here, but it is said that when the leader of a pod, such as we have here, gets disoriented or possibly gets sick, it leads the others to scene like we see here. Can you shed more light or more understanding into that theory?
CADY: That's definitely a possibility. We really don't know. There's three theories. One is that they're chasing prey. Another one is that the animals may be sick, or it's possible that they've just become disoriented. And our suspicion it may be a variety of those factors. The bad news is that we've actually gotten word recently that the animals are back on the beach in New Tenant's Island (ph), just down from where they ere yesterday.
HEMMER: Is that right? What are hearing now on that then, A.J.?
CADY: Well, it's still sketchy reports. It's a very remote area. What we've heard is that at least some of the animals are on the mud flats, perhaps a half mile offshore. And rescuer were moving on the scene now to see if we can determine what's happening.
HEMMER: You don't have the number, do you, by chance?
CADY: We don't have a certain number yet. Looks like a large number, not sure whether half of all the animals. Just coming in.
HEMMER: One thing I found fascinating about this story yesterday. Apparently you, and possibly a lot of others, were concerned that if you put the whales back in the water too soon, they would release what's called a sonar distress signal, which may attract more whales to find themselves in similar situation. How much was that was a concern from yesterday?
CADY: It's always a concern. It's mostly a concern within the family unit. What happens is we -- when some of the animals are off the beach and others ones are on, the ones that are free swimming will actually return right back in, trying to help the other members of the family group. So they're highly social. The trick is to time it as much as possible to get them all off the beach at the same time.
HEMMER: Cape Cod has a stranding network that's been put in place. Quickly here, how does it work, and how was it employed yesterday?
CADY: Well, it's -- a coalition of groups that come together similar to volunteer firefighters to respond whenever we get one of these reports, the call goes out. Everyone arrives at the beach, and the volunteers all know what we need to do at the same time.
HEMMER: Worked yesterday.
CADY: A little bit ironic. It worked well yesterday.
HEMMER: Well, listen, I want to cut you loss here, because I know you're probably concerned about the situation developing right now. If there's more news, come back and let us now, OK?
CADY: Thanks, we will. And if folks need updates, they can go to www.IFAW.org.
HEMMER: Thanks A.J. Good luck, OK.
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