A newborn female pilot whale was spotted on Sunday (August 27) in the waves at Norte beach in Nazaré (central Portugal). The mammal, from the dolphin family, which is 1.7 metres long, was rescued by the Maritime Police and taken to a rehabilitation centre in Quiaios (Figueira da Foz), where it will be cared for by the Institute of Nature Conservation (ICN) and the Portuguese Wildlife Society.
Once the whale has made a full recovery, it will be returned to the ocean. According to the ICN, the whale does not have the best chance of survival as it was very weak when rescued and found it difficult to maintain equilibrium while in the water. It had no visible injuries, but a blood test was conducted to ascertain whether any health problems were present. Throughout the rescue and transportation, it was reported that the whale was calm and docile. It is believed that the whale was somehow separated from her family and found its way to the shore. (Also read ‘Baby seal update’ on page 4).
