Fin whale stranding, Courtmacsherry, Co Cork... UPDATES
20 January 2009
Update 23/01/09Dan Crowley of Cork County Council has just informed the IWDG that 28.68 tonnes of whale were removed for incineration in Waterford. Obviously the whale was much heavier with fluid loss and the weight of the skeleton also to be considered. The cost to Cork County Council of removing this whale is in the region of €10,000 just for rendering and removal. Samples taken from the whale suggested it had acute respiratory failure but it might not be possible to fully confirm this diagnosis.
Update 22/01/09Derek Mooney will be broadcasting an interview with Joy Reidenberg, Associate Professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine on this Friday 23 January edition of Mooney Goes Wild on RTE Radio 1. Joy was over in Ireland to oversee the post-mortem examination of the fin whale. She is very articulate and knowledgeable and I'm sure will make very interesting listening. There is no scheduled time for transmission so it will be on between 15:00 and 16:30.
Day 6: Update 20/01/09 at 14:00 pmThis is likely to be the final report on the Courtmacsherry estuary fin whale, which was successfully lifted off the strand last night.
The seabirds and a host of other marine scavengers will do their job and leave the site in the same condition it was in prior to the stranding. 
Now that the skeleton can be moved it will be cleaned at a more leisurely pace without fear of rising tides and failing light. Let's hope the bones are safe from scavengers of a human kind, so that the whale can remain intact for public display. All going well the end result should look something like this gray whale on display in Baja, California, Mexico. Well done to all involved....PHEW!
Day 5: Update 19/01/09 at 18:00 pm
We will continue to report on this event until there is nothing much left to report. But we are now close to the end of this saga, which began five day ago. Gone are the massive crowds, the County Council, vets and researchers, local emergency services, TV presenters and film crews, and the journalists have left in search of greener pastures. Ironically, one of the chip wagons is still on site.
But there is still work to be done, and for those with a weak stomach these images come with a health warning! But we have to hand it to the men of Kilbrittain, as they continued to work on the carcass despite the biting cold. I left the scene as darkness fell, and they continued to work into the night. After yesterday's joint efforts the fin whale's body weight was reduced so much that the carcass moved during the night, so it is a race against time and tide to ensure it is removed from the estuary tonight. 
The work is physical and unpleasant in the extreme, but the crew of about 20 men are well up to the challenge and we've little doubt will succeed. IWDG will offer them any support or advice in the coming weeks/months on how best to prepare or display the skeleton. There are sadly a few pieces missing, which on their own are meaningless. The whale should if possible be kept intact, and we would encourage whoever has the pectoral fin (flipper) to try to get it back to those in whose trust the state has placed the skeleton.
Day 4: Update 18/01/09 at 23:00 pmAfter another exhausting day working on the whale, there is now a sense that this saga is coming to a close. By nightfall the following had been achieved:
1. From the public health and safety point of view, which was the primary concern of Cork County Council, the biomass of the carcass has been greatly reduced, to what is now largely a skeletal structure. Most of the blubber and muscle has now been removed for incineration in Waterford. It was clear after day 2, that this carcass due to its massive size/weight could not be removed unless it was broken into smaller sizes. This could never be achieved without a certain amount of gore, which was unavoidable. We hope members of the public were not distressed by the process. Mother nature would have done the same, but over a much longer time-scale.
2. From a scientific perspective, the joint IWDG/UCC post-mortem team lead by Joy Reidenberg, USA successfully removed most of the whale's internal organs and collected samples which will later be analysed. Thus far, gross pathology has not revealed anything unusual that can give an indication as to any obvious medical condition leading to its death, but this process will take much longer. As the circumstances dictated that this could never be a clinical post-mortem, which would typically be carried out under laboratory conditions, the results may remain inconclusive.
4. From a public awareness viewpoint this has been a unique introduction, not just to locals, but throughout Co. Cork, and further afield, illustrating the magnificence of large whales in Ireland. IWDG were onsite since day 1 to answer questions from the huge crowds and to hand out Fin Whale fact sheets to adults and children alike. We hope this interpretation provided the public with a better understanding of this species, the circumstances surrounding its death, and how the stranding was being dealt with. We estimate that c10,000 onlookers visited the site. This weekend's open-air, and very public post-mortem of a large whale was by any standards a unique event anywhere on the planet. It was filmed for National Geographic by Windfall Films as part of a series on large animal anatomy and is due to be aired in June 2009 and will have an audience of millions (IWDG will inform members and the local media on a transmission date once it has been decided). Once again west Cork's large whales have provided the region with not just a national but an international story, which is good for Ireland, west Cork and we hope good for the populations of fin and humpback whales that keep returning to our productive waters.
We'll keep you updated on the final throws of the dice, but again a huge thanks to the local community, civil defence, Gardaí, contractors, Windfall Films and in particular to Dan Crowley of Cork Co. Council for giving us the latitude to explore other opportunities when plans A (removal) & B (burial) didn't work out.
There is little doubt other than this event will result in more post mortem examinations of large whales and will influence how similar events are handled in the future; which they invariably will, as we record increasing numbers of fin whales along the Irish south coast and strandings of sperm whales on the west and northwest coasts. But let's hope we don't have to deal with another live-stranded fin whale in west Cork for at least another few years!
Day 3: Update 17/01/09 at 23:00 pm
Another remarkable day on site with the whale. Today the process of carrying out a post-mortem examination and rendering of the whale began, in order to explore the cause of death and assist Cork County Council with the removal of the giant body. A team of personnel from the IWDG and UCC met the film crew from National Geographic at 11:30. National Geographic had overnight flown over Joy Reidenberg from the US who has considerable experience working with with large baleen whale carcasses. Joy's help proved invaluable and with Cork County Council vet, Dan Crowley, a plan was put together. 
Overnight, gases due to decomposition within the whale, had built up huge pressure and the whale's throat grooves were distended and its tongue had blown up and out of the huge mouth. The whale was twice the size of yesterday (16/01/09). It was clear on initial inspection that this is a female, as the build up of gasses has exposed her mammary slits, located on either side of the gential slit.
Joy's plan to remove the gases, strip off the blubber from the ventral area and remove the organs starting with the intestines, genitals, liver and larynx worked beautifully, and we were all pleased with the speed and efficiency at which the job was achieved. The Civil Defence were initially on site, and later the local community did a great job of restricting the crowd for public safety and the contractors assisted by representatives of local community groups were of great assistance.
By nightfall, the whale had been reduced to a bloody carcass and while we agree that it was not a site for the feint hearted, it was we believe under the circumstances the only viable option. Tomorrow 18th, we hope to complete the operation, which will involve removal of the remaining organs, which after examination will be removed for incineration. Meanwhile local community groups are exploring the options of salvaging the skeletal remains of the whale for display locally.
The story of the fin whale in Courtmacsherry continues ...... (images to follow in the morning)
Update 16/01/09 at 17:00 pmUpdate at 14:00 pm on Friday 16 January
With failing light and a turning tide, it was decided to leave the operation for another day. A decision has been taken with encouragment from National Geographic and Channel 4 to carry out a Gross Post-Mortem tomorrow. As we speak Joy Reidenberg, Associate Professor of Medical Education at Mount Sinai School of Medicine is taking a flight from the USA due to arrive in Shannon early Saturday AM to assist in the Post-Mortem which will be carried out by IWDG and UCC personnel. Joy has a particular interest in vocalisations of large baleen whales, and the fact that she is willing to travel at literally no notice from the US, illustrates the scientific importance of this event, and how much can be learned from it.
But we are up against a ticking clock now, as we have a deadline from Cork County Council to get this examination done tomorrow before the close of day, so that the contractors still have time to bury the carcass before the tide starts to flood on Saturday evening.
Update at 14:00 pm on Friday 16 January
Given the logistics of trying to move this massive animal, a decision has been made to bury the animal where it stranded in Courtmacsherry. So the plan is that while post mortem team are working on the animal and possibly removing the main organs, for later examination, the contractors will use two JCBs to dig a massive hole which will, we hope, secure the animal. It's fitting that the whale's final resting place will be an SAC (Special Area of Conservation). Over time, its body will release a massive amount of energy that will feed literally billions of marine organisms that will have an ecological benefit to the entire local ecosystem that will enhance the areas' biodiversity.
All efforts will be made tomorrow to secure as many body parts as possible, such as the lower jawbones, which would make a fantastic "whale arch" for public display in the local area. But we'll just have to wait and see how this plays out tomorrow, which no doubt will be another long but fascinating day.
For more information on fin whales in Ireland see http://www.iwdg.ie/species_profiles.asp?speciesID=2104
Update 16/01/09 at 13:45 pm
Update at 14:00 pm on Friday 16 January
The whale is still on the beach at Courtmacsherry. Cork County Council and their contractors have been attempting to remove the whale for rendering and land fill. The dead weight of the whale, estimated at 50 tonnes, is proving a challenge and slings and ropes used to date have snapped under the strain.
People continue to visit the site but are asked to respect the advice to keep a distance as this is a dangerous and challenging operation, which is putting a lot of strain on the workers.
Update 15/01/09 at 17:45 pm
As darkness falls on a memorable day for the people of Courtmacsherry, Timoleague and the people of the Burren, Kilbrittain. But this story has reached well outside of West Cork, as people are now travelling from all over the county and indeed the country to witness this incredible spectacle. The IWDG would like to thank everybody for their assistance today, especially the local Coastguard, RNLI, NPWS, local IWDG members and the general public. Hundreds of people offered there services if a rescue attempt was an option but the whale died quickly and probably for the best.
It is likely that the whale will be pushed further up the bay as the tide rises and is still present tomorrow. If people are to venture to Courtmacsherry to see this whale we urge you to take precautions, estuaries can be treacherous places and do not touch the whale as we do not know the cause of death and there is potential for infection. We have removed skin and blubber samples and some baleen for research purposes.
Update 15/01/09 at 13:45 pm
The whale has know been measured at 19.7m in length (over 60ft). This means it is an adult whale though they can grow up to 26m in length. Its gender has still not been determined as it is lying on its belly.
There is about 3 hours of tide left before access to the whale will not be possible. Cork County Council have been informed about disposal, which will certainly be a huge challenge. The IWDG are on site to talk to people about fin whales and discuss possible reasons for its live-stranding.
Update 15/01/09 at 11:40 am
Pádraig Whooley of the IWDG and NPWS Rangers are approaching the animal now as the tide has fallen. they will soon be able to make a prognosis but the whale is not moving and it doesn't look too hopeful .....
Just got word that the whale is now dead. Following examination of the whale it has no corneal reflex and has not breathed for 20 minutes and thus is considered dead. The IWDG can confirm the whale is a fin whale measuring almost 64ft (19.7m). On closer examination is does appear to be in poor condition with bones showing through the blubber.
This was to be expected as there have been many fin whales documented along the Irish south coast since Sept 2008 and if one strands alive, the assumption is that it is sick and in poor body condition. In a weakened state the whale is more likely to be drawn inshore into a very alien environment, where it relistically has little or no chance of survival.
Update at 11:00 am
The IWDG have records of 137 live-stranding events in Ireland involving 307 animals. The number of live-strandings reported to the IWDG has increased in recent years with a record 28 reported in 2007. This may reflect better recording but live- strandings, especially of dolphins, do frequently occur in Ireland. Live stranded whales are less common with only four records to date, two of them on the same day in 2007 ! Refloating an animal over 20ft in length is extremely difficult and unlikely to be successful !
Whalewatching has been growing steadily in west Cork where local boats take people out to see fin and humpback whales as well as minke whales, common dolphins and harbour porpoise. The IWDG have been working closely with operators to record the whales in the area through a technique called photo-identification, where unique markings are recorded to enable us to recognise individuals. To date we have over 60 fin whales and 10 humpback whales recorded (mostly from West Cork). All humpback whales have been resighted at least once and 16 of the 62 fin whales a resighting rate of 25%.
This work has showed that the same whales may spend up to 6 months in inshore Irish waters and many return each year. The whale which died in Courtmacsherry today was not one we had recorded previously.
For more details of the IWDG Photo-ID programme see:http://www.iwdg.ie/iscope/sightings/photoID.asp?id=89
Update at 10:30 am
IWDG Sighting Co-ordinator Pádraig Whooley is now on the scene. The whale was thrashing its tail but is now grounded on a falling tide and it will be 1-1.5 hours before people can get out to the whale to assess its condition. This gives time for planning. Local NPWS Conservation Rangers Paddy Graham, Danny O'Keeffe, Declan O' Donnell and Clare Heardman are on their way and the IWDG will work with them to provide the best solution. We are trying to contact local authority vet Dan Crowley to provide assistance as he has some experience and a great interest in cetaceans.
The animal is thought to be 30-35 ft in length and is still thought to be a young fin whale. Their is some minor bleeding on the animals left flank but it does not appear emaciated.
Local people and those travelling to the site are asked to respect the wishes of the NPWS, IWDG and the Coastguard who will work together to do their best for the whale, which will obviously be in a distressed state.
10:00 am
A fin whale, 19.7m long, has live stranded near Courtmacsherry today. IWDG and the Coastguard are on site to assist the NPWS .An image made available by the local IWDG member Norman Keane and his wife strongly suggests this whale is a fin whale and big. Note the large tail fluke, missing the characteristic pattern of a humpback whale and the pointed dorsal fin.
Options are limited. The best hope is to try and prevent the whale stranding as, once stranded, refloating is extremely difficult and euthanasia is difficult as the whale would need to be shot as there is not enough drugs available to put an animal of this size down.
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Other Images from Today
Updates by Simon Berrow & Pádraig Whooley, IWDG
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