FORTY-FOUR whales were put down on a beach near Cape Town at the weekend after bad weather thwarted attempts by city officials and volunteers to get them back out to sea.
The decision by the environmental affairs department to shoot the adults and calves on Saturday and Sunday came in for heavy public criticism locally, despite assurances from wildlife groups there was little else that could reasonably be done under the circumstances.
“Forty-four whales had to be euthanised to prevent further suffering after all attempts to rescue them were unsuccessful due to the unfavourable weather conditions,” spokeswoman Carol Moses said in a statement.
A pod of 55 false killer whales initially beached on Kommetjie beach early on Saturday morning.
The first attempts to get the mammals back into the water appeared to work, with an estimated 20 animals taken back out to the sea.
However, the majority of the rescued whales inexplicably beached once again further down the same beach later in the day.
Nan Rice, head of the Dolphin Action and Protection group, said the decision to put themdown was taken only when it became clear the animals would not survive the night on the beach. She was dismissive of those who criticised the action.
“You can’t be sentimental, you have to be serious. I’ve seen it [euthanisation]. It’s quick. The bullet goes straight through the brain and the whale dies in a few seconds.
“But they [the public] get hysterical and start acting like prima donnas and throw themselves on the beach and have to be carried away by the police,” she said.