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CNN Sunday Morning
Stranded Pilot Wales to Be Released This Morning
Aired August 10, 2003 - 08:23 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.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: They plan to release those stranded pilot whales this morning off the Florida Keys. Our John Zarrella is covering that story, and he has a live report from Big Pine Key.
Good morning, John. Things looking good out there?
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Sean. Absolutely. Looking terrific right now. The first step in the process of returning these whales to the sea is under way. It began about 6:30 this morning, a couple of hours.
What you're seeing right now is preparations with whale number four, that's whale number four. It's actually behind that sheet, because what they are doing right now is putting a satellite tracking device into one of its fins, and it looks worse than it is, is the way that NOAA fisheries people explain it to me. So that's why we can't see whale number four right now.
They will do the same procedure with three other of the whales here. Two of the whales will be -- the tracking devices will be installed, will be put on the fin as they are being taken out on the boat, out to where they will be dropped 12 miles off of the coast.
Now, they are hoping that they can get the whales out there in a couple of hours, once they've finished this procedure. Probably be about 10:00 a.m. this morning before they get under way. And, again, the first part of this process begins with them raising, hoisting the whales up on to a mat, on to the shore, and then installing the satellite tracking twice.
They want to make sure they have these tracking devices on them for a couple of reasons. Scientific reasons, of course, to gain any kind of knowledge they can about whales and how deep they dive, what they eat, all the different things that scientists want to know. And, also, in case any of these whales actually gets in trouble in the next couple of weeks and can't make it on its own -- remember, they've been in here recuperating for about three months now -- they want to be able to pick them up and bring them back and hopefully continue the rehabilitation process, if it is necessary.
So again, the process going on here. The first of five whales being tagged and readied for the return to the sea. This is John Zarrella reporting live from Big Pine Key.
CALLEBS: OK, John. Thanks very much. An emotional story out there. We'll continue to follow it. And best of luck to those guys out there.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired August 10, 2003 - 08:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: They plan to release those stranded pilot whales this morning off the Florida Keys. Our John Zarrella is covering that story, and he has a live report from Big Pine Key.
Good morning, John. Things looking good out there?
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Sean. Absolutely. Looking terrific right now. The first step in the process of returning these whales to the sea is under way. It began about 6:30 this morning, a couple of hours.
What you're seeing right now is preparations with whale number four, that's whale number four. It's actually behind that sheet, because what they are doing right now is putting a satellite tracking device into one of its fins, and it looks worse than it is, is the way that NOAA fisheries people explain it to me. So that's why we can't see whale number four right now.
They will do the same procedure with three other of the whales here. Two of the whales will be -- the tracking devices will be installed, will be put on the fin as they are being taken out on the boat, out to where they will be dropped 12 miles off of the coast.
Now, they are hoping that they can get the whales out there in a couple of hours, once they've finished this procedure. Probably be about 10:00 a.m. this morning before they get under way. And, again, the first part of this process begins with them raising, hoisting the whales up on to a mat, on to the shore, and then installing the satellite tracking twice.
They want to make sure they have these tracking devices on them for a couple of reasons. Scientific reasons, of course, to gain any kind of knowledge they can about whales and how deep they dive, what they eat, all the different things that scientists want to know. And, also, in case any of these whales actually gets in trouble in the next couple of weeks and can't make it on its own -- remember, they've been in here recuperating for about three months now -- they want to be able to pick them up and bring them back and hopefully continue the rehabilitation process, if it is necessary.
So again, the process going on here. The first of five whales being tagged and readied for the return to the sea. This is John Zarrella reporting live from Big Pine Key.
CALLEBS: OK, John. Thanks very much. An emotional story out there. We'll continue to follow it. And best of luck to those guys out there.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
