A herd of ten whales ran aground Monday morning on the beach at Calais
A herd of ten whales ran aground this Monday morning on the beach at Calais.
Six of the pilot whale type of mammals, including a dominant male of 4.50 m long and a large female, were found dead.
Two females and two calves however were still alive, doused by firefighters who mobilized two of their vehicles.
The city services, aided firefighters and members of the Ligue de protection des animaux (LPA) put them back in the water mid-morning, after loading them on bulldozers.
“This herd was pelagic migration to the Faroe Islands, to breed and feed,” said Jacky Karpouzopoulos, referent North pelagic research center on marine mammals from La Rochelle.
An autopsy must be performed to determine the cause of death.
“It is possible that this is a voluntary stranding family, if the dominant male would have died at sea. The rest of the family would be together,” added Mr. Karpouzopoulos.
The presence of marine mammals in the Strait of Pas-de-Calais is not uncommon, according to a lifeguard in Calais accustomed off.
