Commenting on the discovery, a forest official revealed that there is a possibility that the mammal might be stuck in the shallow water for approximately two days. He also said that they have already sent the blue whale into its natural living place.A giant 47-feet blue whale marine mammal was rescued by residents of Madban village at the Maharastra’s Konkan coast late in the evening of September 10, 2016.
The eyewitness told the media reporters who thronged the place that the mammal was fighting for survival when it was spotted and rescued from the coast.
Blue whale was 47 feet with up to 20 tonnes weight
As per the initial reports provided by the senior forest officials, the blue whale was very weak and was looking extremely dehydrated when it was spotted. The whale was 47 feet with a weight of around 15 to 20 tonnes.
#BlueWhale was rescued by two boats that pulled mammal back to deep waters. 50 ppl involved in rescue ops pic.twitter.com/CjzBisPHnP
— Badri Chatterjee (@ChatterjeeBadri) September 11, 2016
Commenting on the discovery, a forest official revealed that there is a possibility that the mammal might be stuck in the shallow water for approximately two days. He also said that they have already sent the blue whale into its natural living place.
47-feet-long Blue Whale rescued after washing ashore in Maharashtra. Biggest mammal rescue ops in state @htTweets https://t.co/NEwcX8rUd9
— Badri Chatterjee (@ChatterjeeBadri) September 11, 2016
However, they faced serious difficulties since it required the efforts of 50 people including forest officials and two boats. The blue whale was pulled into the deep water before it roams further into the sea.
Biggest #mammal rescue ops for Maharashtra, say forest officials. #BlueWhale rescued @HTMumbai @htTweets pic.twitter.com/bL4cFtxEVX
— Badri Chatterjee (@ChatterjeeBadri) September 11, 2016
Blue whale spotted on September 10
Confirming the discovery and subsequent rescue operation, N Vasudevan, chief conservator of forest, state Mangrove cell disclosed that a blue Whale was spotted stranded at the sea coast of village Madban near Jaitapur Atomic Energy Project Taluka Rajapur District Ratnagiri on September 10.
47-foot #BlueWhale rescued after 8 hr operation near Madban village, Ratnagiri #Maharashtra @HTMumbai @htTweets pic.twitter.com/gfFKuVt7oI
— Badri Chatterjee (@ChatterjeeBadri) September 11, 2016
Local people helped to send back the blue whale
The official safely released into deep sea water with the help of 2 boats by forest staff, NGOs, local people and fishermen. He added that without the great help from the people, it would be difficult to send back the whale to the sea.
Even though the blue whale was spotted on September 10, the rescue operation got completed only in the afternoon of September 11.
According to sources, the ribs of the blue whale could be easily seen while it was being rescued. However, the timely action by the rescuers saved the life of the marine mammal to a large extent.