Battle to save whale fails

DESPITE a massive rescue attempt,the whale beached near Chichester Harbour, had to be put down on Friday evening.

By The Newsroom

Published 1st Aug 2008, 11:39 BST

Updated 8th Jun 2018, 03:16 BST

The 26ft long mammal had got stranded once again, this time on East Winner sand bank, Hayling Island, on Friday evening.

Vets Paul Jepson and Rob Deaville, from the Zoological Society of London, a British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) vet and team of marine medics had no alternative than to give the 26ft long northern bottle-nosed whale a lethal dose of anaesthetic.

Despite all efforts to keep it afloat, the young adult whale got stranded again on East Winner sand bank, Hayling Island on Friday. It was put down shortly after 6.15pm.

Following tests experts said that the young adult whale was suffering from irreversible renal failure caused by dehydration and lack of food.

The whale was first spotted near East and West Wittering on Wednesday night and then near Hayling Island on Thursday

An enormous rescue operation was mounted and experts worked constantly in thick mud to try and save the whale .