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CJ Cregg
Commodore
Joined: 05 Oct 2002
Posts: 1254
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 Fri Jan 20, 2006 10:23 am Whale spotted in central London |
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| Quote: | Whale spotted in central London
The animal was spotted as it passed the Houses of Parliament
A whale has made its way up the River Thames to central London, where it is being watched by riverside crowds.
The northern bottle-nosed whale, which is 16-18ft long and is usually found in deep sea waters, has passed Parliament and is moving upstream.
"I saw it blow, it was a spout of water which sparkled in the air," said eyewitness Tom Howard-Vyne.
A boat has been sent to protect the whale and rescuers have been trying to keep it away from the Thames's banks.
It has come within yards of the banks and has crashed into an empty boat, while trapped in a narrow estuary between the banks and moored vessels.
Vets are remaining on standby, experts have said it does not appear to be ill, but are concerns it will get weaker and may become beached.
'Breathing normally'
The RNLI say it is the first whale rescue on the Thames.
Reports of two whales in the Thames were first received on Thursday by the British Divers Marine Life group.
But at 0830 GMT on Friday, a man on a train called in to say he might have been hallucinating, but he had just seen a whale in the Thames.
Alison Shaw of the Marine and Freshwater Conservation Programme at London Zoo, said the northern bottle-nosed whale was usually found in groups of three to 10 and there had been sightings of another two.
She told the BBC News website: "This is extremely rare in British waters as they are normally found in deep waters in the North Atlantic.
"It is about 16-18ft long, so is relatively mature
"It is a very long way from home and we don't know why it has ended up here".
The whales usually weigh about seven tonnes, which will complicate any rescue attempt.
London Aquarium Curator Paul Hale told the BBC: "Getting that to do anything it doesn't want to do is going to be extremely difficult.
"This is a very active swimming animal and it's not going to go anywhere it doesn't want to go so we have to persuade it to swim back out."
Liz Sandeman, a medic of the Marine Connection, a whale and dolphin protection charity, accompanied the RNLI to examine the animal and said it looked "quite healthy and quite relaxed".
But she feared it might be in danger from other boats, or be frightened by the noise.
"The last thing we want to do is stress the animal out," she said.
Over the years dolphins and seals have been spotted in the Thames.
Sperm whales have been seen in the Thames Estuary and porpoises have feasted on fish near Vauxhall Bridge, in central London.
Do you have any pictures or moving footage of the whale? If so, you can send them to [email protected] or MMS them to 07725 100 100 |
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Admiral Dani�l
Dutch Admiral
Joined: 06 Sep 2005
Posts: 2177
Location: Borg Cube 31572 - Join us now!
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| Fri Jan 20, 2006 10:27 am |
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I just saw it on TV! They say it will have to find it's way back to the sea itself, they can't help except if it traps on a beach or sandbank.
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Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 14823
Location: Classified
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| Fri Jan 20, 2006 10:29 am |
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lol, that's so cool.
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Seven of Nine
Sammie's Mammy
Joined: 16 Jun 2001
Posts: 7871
Location: North East England
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| Fri Jan 20, 2006 1:33 pm |
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Awww... I hope it swims out though, it's putting itself in danger.
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Admiral Dani�l
Dutch Admiral
Joined: 06 Sep 2005
Posts: 2177
Location: Borg Cube 31572 - Join us now!
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| Fri Jan 20, 2006 4:14 pm |
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Volenteers are running around and some with a stick or something to prick the whale if it goes the wrong way.
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TrekkieMage
Office Junkie
Joined: 17 Oct 2004
Posts: 5335
Location: Hiding
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| Fri Jan 20, 2006 10:04 pm |
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I saw that on the news today! I thought it was great watching some guy try and push/scare it back into the water and off the sand. Lucky whale for having so many other creatures making sure it gets through okay 
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Cathexis
The Angel of Avalon
Joined: 26 Dec 2001
Posts: 5901
Location: ~~ Where Dreams Have No End�
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| Sat Jan 21, 2006 2:19 am |
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^^Oh yes! I saw that, too!
I watch BBC...and I just love how they talked about this on the news today...lol
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CJ Cregg
Commodore
Joined: 05 Oct 2002
Posts: 1254
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| Sat Jan 21, 2006 3:09 pm |
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| Quote: | Thames Whale Has Died
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41241000/jpg/_41241582_whale_rescue_getty.jpg
Updated: 19:42, Saturday January 21, 2006
The Thames whale has died while being transported on a barge out of the River Thames to deeper seas.
The whale was being taken to an area off the north Kent coast for release when it suffered convulsions.
A spokesman for the charity group organising its rescue from the river in central London said the bottle-nosed whale went into convulsions and died around 7pm.
Chairman of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue group Alan Knight said: "We had a phone call from the vet saying that it had started convulsing and while he was on the phone it died.
"It was still about two hours away from the planned release place."
Another spokesman, Tony Woodley, told Sky News: "It is such a shame and I know that so many people in the UK and around the world have been watching this.
"It is such a great shame that on this occasion we have not been successful."
The whale's condition had deteriorated after being lifted on to the barge and vets had become "pessimisitic" about its chances of survival.
The 15ft-long northern bottle-nosed whale became stranded in shallow water near Chelsea shortly before midday.
A team of rescuers surrounded it near the river's south bank near Battersea Bridge.
They put inflatable pontoons in place to support it before lifting it on to the Crossness barge with a crane.
It was first seen in central London on Friday making its way up river as far as Chelsea.
Thousands of people gathered on both banks of the Thames and on bridges to see the mammal.
Northern bottle-nosed whales normally live in the north Atlantic and can be seen off northern Britain and Ireland in the summer.
It was believed to be the first sighting of the species on the Thames since records began in 1913. |
Poor Whale 
[Image tags removed: No Hotlinking - Puck]
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Cathexis
The Angel of Avalon
Joined: 26 Dec 2001
Posts: 5901
Location: ~~ Where Dreams Have No End�
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| Sat Jan 21, 2006 3:14 pm |
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| CJ Cregg wrote: | | Quote: | Thames Whale Has Died
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41241000/jpg/_41241582_whale_rescue_getty.jpg
Updated: 19:42, Saturday January 21, 2006
The Thames whale has died while being transported on a barge out of the River Thames to deeper seas.
The whale was being taken to an area off the north Kent coast for release when it suffered convulsions.
A spokesman for the charity group organising its rescue from the river in central London said the bottle-nosed whale went into convulsions and died around 7pm.
Chairman of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue group Alan Knight said: "We had a phone call from the vet saying that it had started convulsing and while he was on the phone it died.
"It was still about two hours away from the planned release place."
Another spokesman, Tony Woodley, told Sky News: "It is such a shame and I know that so many people in the UK and around the world have been watching this.
"It is such a great shame that on this occasion we have not been successful."
The whale's condition had deteriorated after being lifted on to the barge and vets had become "pessimisitic" about its chances of survival.
The 15ft-long northern bottle-nosed whale became stranded in shallow water near Chelsea shortly before midday.
A team of rescuers surrounded it near the river's south bank near Battersea Bridge.
They put inflatable pontoons in place to support it before lifting it on to the Crossness barge with a crane.
It was first seen in central London on Friday making its way up river as far as Chelsea.
Thousands of people gathered on both banks of the Thames and on bridges to see the mammal.
Northern bottle-nosed whales normally live in the north Atlantic and can be seen off northern Britain and Ireland in the summer.
It was believed to be the first sighting of the species on the Thames since records began in 1913. |
Poor Whale |
How sad!!!!!!! wow, how depressing is this...
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TrekkieMage
Office Junkie
Joined: 17 Oct 2004
Posts: 5335
Location: Hiding
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| Sat Jan 21, 2006 4:05 pm |
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That's so sad 
Although, I think I remember someone saying on the news that they thought the whale was sick or something when he wandered into the river...
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webtaz99
Commodore
Joined: 13 Nov 2003
Posts: 1229
Location: The Other Side
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| Sat Jan 21, 2006 11:30 pm |
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It is most likely that the whale was already suffering from something, which caused it to go up the river.
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"History is made at night! Character is who you are in the dark." (Lord John Whorfin)
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Cathexis
The Angel of Avalon
Joined: 26 Dec 2001
Posts: 5901
Location: ~~ Where Dreams Have No End�
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| Sun Jan 22, 2006 12:37 am |
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| webtaz99 wrote: | | It is most likely that the whale was already suffering from something, which caused it to go up the river. |
Hmm....perhaps...
It's still sad....
But I have to admit, the guy who was trying to shoo it out of the river...lol that was amusing...like the whale was really going to obey him.
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Puck
The Texan
Joined: 05 Jan 2004
Posts: 5596
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| Sun Jan 22, 2006 12:52 am |
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| Cathexis wrote: | | But I have to admit, the guy who was trying to shoo it out of the river...lol that was amusing...like the whale was really going to obey him. |
Yeah, that's how the STV mods feel, thinking the users will listen when we shoo them towards the rules  .
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Theresa
Lux Mihi Deus
Joined: 17 Jun 2001
Posts: 27256
Location: United States of America
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| Sun Jan 22, 2006 1:01 am |
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| Puck wrote: | | Cathexis wrote: | | But I have to admit, the guy who was trying to shoo it out of the river...lol that was amusing...like the whale was really going to obey him. |
Yeah, that's how the STV mods feel, thinking the users will listen when we shoo them towards the rules . |
Dude, I am so feeling that!
And, poor whale.
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Birdy
Socialist
Joined: 20 Sep 2004
Posts: 13502
Location: Here.
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| Sun Jan 22, 2006 6:53 am |
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Aww, so sad that the wale died.. I saw on the news that they found a calf besides the river too, probably from the mom who died.. so sad!
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Nosce te ipsum
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madlilnerd
Duchess of Dancemat
Joined: 03 Aug 2004
Posts: 5885
Location: Slough, England
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| Sun Jan 22, 2006 7:27 am |
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The whale was completely out of it's territory. They never come this far east, so it must have been really lost. Some marine biologists think that sonar or radar or whatever the navy use interrferes with the marine mammals' echo location and they get confused and beach themselves.
I think the whale should have a memorial. In Cardiff museum, they have a mini memorial to a giant turtle that washed up on their beach, so we should have a mini memorial to the whale. I'd rather see a monument to nature than to the royals! 
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jonathan95
Delta Prime
Joined: 29 Oct 2002
Posts: 1544
Location: UK Newcastle
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| Sun Jan 22, 2006 10:36 am |
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| madlilnerd wrote: | The whale was completely out of it's territory. They never come this far east, so it must have been really lost. Some marine biologists think that sonar or radar or whatever the navy use interrferes with the marine mammals' echo location and they get confused and beach themselves.
I think the whale should have a memorial. In Cardiff museum, they have a mini memorial to a giant turtle that washed up on their beach, so we should have a mini memorial to the whale. I'd rather see a monument to nature than to the royals! |
yer it has been proven that sonar and other radiar devices do afect the sea life on a small scale, but the most afect is usualy to do with magnetic's from the core and such,
a lot of creatures do a lot of navigating from the magnetic forces of the earth and as well all know they've been a little screwy latly.
I heard on a news site think it was the bbc.co.uk web site that there was a pod of wales at the opening of the river waiting for the other wale.
its a real shame that such things happen its at the same time this was going on there's been a dolphin in another river that doesnt want to leave, who knows maybe its a sign or something if the sea life is coming inwards instead of going out to see when "bad weather" is coming.
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Cathexis
The Angel of Avalon
Joined: 26 Dec 2001
Posts: 5901
Location: ~~ Where Dreams Have No End�
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| Sun Jan 22, 2006 11:23 pm |
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I just want to cry.......................
**EDIT: Sorry.........
Okay, well.....if another whale comes ambling into the Thames River, I hope someone will be able to examine and treat it if it's ill....and then kindly usher it back out to open water.
Last edited by Cathexis on Sun Jan 22, 2006 11:41 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Theresa
Lux Mihi Deus
Joined: 17 Jun 2001
Posts: 27256
Location: United States of America
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| Sun Jan 22, 2006 11:31 pm |
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Yes, you already offered how it made you feel right back up there, ^^
So, again, PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE:
| Theresa wrote: | | CONTRIBUTE to a discussion. |
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Some of us fall by the wayside
And some of us soar to the stars
And some of us sail through our troubles
And some have to live with our scars
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madlilnerd
Duchess of Dancemat
Joined: 03 Aug 2004
Posts: 5885
Location: Slough, England
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| Mon Jan 23, 2006 4:03 pm |
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| Quote: | | I hope someone will be able to examine and treat it if it's ill....and then kindly usher it back out to open water. |
It's not like Free Willy. Working with whales is extremely difficult because they tend to DIE.
You can't exactly shoo a large, injured animal back into open water.
This is the first recorded sighting of a whale in the Thames, but there could have been one a long time ago. I read somewhere that thousand of years ago when the climate was completely different, there were hippos in the Thames!! It would be cool if some escaped from a zoo and made it south... but they are rather dangerous!
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Cathexis
The Angel of Avalon
Joined: 26 Dec 2001
Posts: 5901
Location: ~~ Where Dreams Have No End�
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| Mon Jan 23, 2006 7:54 pm |
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| madlilnerd wrote: | | Quote: | | I hope someone will be able to examine and treat it if it's ill....and then kindly usher it back out to open water. |
It's not like Free Willy. Working with whales is extremely difficult because they tend to DIE.
You can't exactly shoo a large, injured animal back into open water.
This is the first recorded sighting of a whale in the Thames, but there could have been one a long time ago. I read somewhere that thousand of years ago when the climate was completely different, there were hippos in the Thames!! It would be cool if some escaped from a zoo and made it south... but they are rather dangerous! |
I know what you're saying, good point.
And I didn't mean for them to 'shoo' the whale.........I just meant for them to place it back in its natural habitat ASAP. Obviously they can't just stick it back into the ocean directly after treating it. I probably should've made that a tad bit clearer.....sorry!
Yikes, hippos in the Thames!
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madlilnerd
Duchess of Dancemat
Joined: 03 Aug 2004
Posts: 5885
Location: Slough, England
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| Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:16 pm |
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| Quote: | | I probably should've made that a tad bit clearer.....sorry! |
You don't have to apologise, I was being kinda mean and sarcastic.
On the radio today they said that a post mortem of the whale revealed it was suffering from kidney failure, and, get this, DEHYDRATION!!!! 
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webtaz99
Commodore
Joined: 13 Nov 2003
Posts: 1229
Location: The Other Side
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| Thu Jan 26, 2006 10:15 am |
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When your kidneys quit filtering waste, you quit feeling thirsty. Humans with renal failure are routinely given IVs to prevent dehydration.
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"History is made at night! Character is who you are in the dark." (Lord John Whorfin)
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