A pod of whales washed up on Falcarragh beach in Donegal this morning, and rescuers have been working hard since to save the creatures from perishing.
A pod of pilot whales washed up on the beach in Falcarragh, Donegal this morning, with a number of them showing blemishes and lumps on their skin, leading many to believe that they led the pod into shallow waters.
Some of the dead whales beached on Falcarragh strand pic.twitter.com/AeSqxvFMvG
— Mary McIntyre (@Mc1988) July 7, 2014
According to The Independent, around 100 locals rushed to try and save as many of the creatures as they could, and although they were unable to do anything to save five of them, the others were returned to the water where they are still battling for survival.
Frantic efforts are continuing this lunchtime to save a group of whales stranded on a Donegal beach. pic.twitter.com/6AoaDHgj2c
— BBC Radio Foyle (@BBCRadioFoyle) July 7, 2014
Donegal Daily are reporting that rescuers are hopeful that the incoming tide will get the creatures back out to sea, but a number of them still appear to be ill. Locals have used anything at their disposal to move them, including diggers and JCBs to shift the dead animals up the beach so that the rest of the pod didn't return to the shore to try to find them.
However, with time not on their side, there's a risk that none of the whales will survive the beaching, despite the rescue efforts.
Via The Independent and Donegal Daily. Main pic via Wikipedia.
