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Dovekies, beached pilot whale



On Saturday (2/8/03), I went in search of the Dovekies that had been sighted north of the Rodanthe (NC) pier. I did not find the Dovekies there, though I did find them (2 or 3) later across from the old refuge headquarters on Pea Island. They were actively diving and flying, so I know there were two at least.

While searching for them in Rodanthe, I noticed a large black object bobbing in the surf. At first I thought it was a large inner tube, but then realized it was a cetacean, being washed southward with the current. A short time later, I met a birder named Nate (didn't get his last name) and together we watched, helplessly, as the pilot whale was floundering in the surf.

The all-black whale was 12 to 15 feet long, square-headed with a long, stout dorsal fin and long pectoral fins that swept backward from its body. I did not have Mike Tove's "Offshore Wildlife" book with me, so I don't know whether it was a Short-finned or Long-finned Pilot. The former seems more likely, given the range Mike describes in the text.

We called Prof. Ann Pabst at UNC-Wilmington, one of the directors of the cetacean stranding program. Ann told us that even though the whale seemed to struggle its way back out from the surf a couple of times, it would eventually become completely stranded. Apparently whales like this become so exhausted and confused, rescuing them is all but hopeless. We left when a ranger from the National Park Service arrived and took charge of things.

A sad tale. A beautiful animal.

Norm


*********************************************************** Norman Budnitz, nbudnitz@duke.edu 919-684-3592 (day), 919-383-0553 (eve), 919-660-7293 (fax)

(work) Biology Dept, Duke Univ, Box 90338, Durham NC 27708
(home) 4115 Garrett Drive, Durham NC 27705