Antara 4 Mar 18;
Situbondo, E Java (ANTARA News) - The sperm whale stranded on the coast of Situbondo, East Java, since Thursday evening has successfully been saved by taking him to the middle of the sea.
"The process of evacuation of the stranded whale in the village of Jangkar lasted from 9.30pm on Friday to 00.30 hours on Saturday," marine resource surveillance post officer of Benoa, Bali, Yuliono, said.
Workers from the Natural Resource Coordinating Agency (BKSDA)` the Marine Resource Surveillance Post (PSDKP), the sea security agency, the marine police and the police sector has deliberately cobducted the evacuation at night because if it was done in the afternoon it was feared a lot of people would come by boat to see it.
Five fisherman boats and three jet skies were involved in the operation. The boats were tasked with driving the fish to the middle of the sea.
" Thank God the evacuation was successful. The participation of the voluntees on jet skys had been very helpful," he said.
Two jet skies from Jasalindo were seen dragging the animal using a rope which was tied on the body of the fish by some volunteer divers.
The 20-meter long and 8-high sperm whale was found stranded on the coast of Jangler Village, Situbondo Regency, East Java, on Thursday (March 1) evening.
The fish was believed to have got stranded after being pursued by marine predators and separated from its group, Banyuwangi head of Resort Conservation Area Vivi Primayanti said.
"It is difficult to move the mammal from 500 metres within the beach because the sea water has receded," she said in Situbondo on Friday.
The first measure to keep the stranded whale living was to cover its body with a large carpet to avoid direct contact with sunlight. The whale will be pushed back in to the ocean during high tide.
Reported by Novi Husdinariyanto/Zumrotun Solichah
(T.SYS/B/H-YH/A/H-YH)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
