Rescue efforts for endangered right whale, Kingfisher, continue

March 25, 2004

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Coast Guard Cutter Yellowfin, homeported in Charleston, S.C., returned to Georgetown, S.C., this evening with a team of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) personnel after a day at sea trying to untangle the lines around the endangered right whale.

Hampered by weather, the team was not able to make progress in freeing Kingfisher, but was able to gather additional information on the whale’s condtion. “We were not able to get any of the rope off of the whale today because of high seas, but we were able to collect tissue samples to help assess its health,” said Teri Rowles, lead veterinarian for NOAA Fisheries and the head of the nationÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¬ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢s Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program.

Today the team also checked the condition of the satellite tracking device to make sure it was still working properly. The team noted that the whale is still moving north and traveling quickly.

As soon as the weather permits, the team plans to sedate the whale to slow its movement and use specially constructed tools to try to remove the lines and the buoys that are wrapped around the whaleÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¬ÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â¢s body.

This was the second rescue attempt in five days facilitated by the Coast Guard in support of NOAA Fisheries rescue efforts. Both efforts were supported by 87-foot “Marine Protector” coastal patrol boats, Yellowfin and Kingfisher, out of Mayport, Fla. Friday, the crew of Kingfisher took the rescue team more than 60 miles off the coast of North Florida for the first rescue attempt, they were honored as the namesake of the juvenile whale for their great support.

“It is no accident that these ‘Marine Protector’s’ have lived up to their name, protecting living marine resources and endangered species remains a priority for the Coast Guard and accomplishment of this mission is only made easier by our close working relationship with NOAA Fisheries that is exercised regularly,” said Lt. Tony Russell, public affairs officer for the Seventh Coast Guard District.

He continued, “As we hand this case off to our shipmates to the north we will continue to follow this story closely and hope for a happy outcome, regardless we are proud of the effort we have made so far to try and save one of only 300 of this species believed left in the world.”

NOAA Fisheries, Center for Coastal Studies and the Coast Guard will continue to monitor the whale’s movement and the weather to determine the time and place of the next attempt to free Kingfisher from the tangle of ropes and buoys.

Rescue efforts for endangered right whale, Kingfisher, continue

Today the team also checked the condition of the satellite tracking device to make sure it was still working properly. The team noted that the whale is still moving north and traveling quickly.

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