Heath Sapp
Contributor
Just got a hold of them next friday night 8p-12a.
Stranded Pilot Whales need your help in Key Largo, FL
- Thread starter The Chairman
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bilsant
Contributor
Just got back from my first shift. Awesome in the most classical meaning of the word. My cuddle buddy was number 401 - a 16 footish three quarter ton teenager who's a very sick young fellow, but getting better. This might be the most important thing I do this month (those who know me understand what I mean). The folks at the center are amazing in their dedication, and they need help...especially in the middle of the week and late nights. One problem they've had is no-shows. Obviously if you sign up, please go. If something happens and you change your mind, contact them and let them know. If you just don't come you may be leaving a diver stuck in the water with no replacement and no option of just packing up and going home - they have a sick whale to care for.
I'm not saying if you volunteer for a stint with these creatures that it will change your life.
I am saying if you do it even just once, you'll never forget the experience.
I'll be back on Saturday.
I'm not saying if you volunteer for a stint with these creatures that it will change your life.
I am saying if you do it even just once, you'll never forget the experience.
I'll be back on Saturday.
hul kogan
Registered
Any estimates on how long they'll be doing this? I'll be down in the Keys in a little over two weeks and would love to volunteer if they still need help.
Heath Sapp
Contributor
When I spoke to them eariler they said it would be a while.
OP
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
Whale 401 is doing FAR better today. I was assigned to #302 this am across from Natasha, another Scuba Instructor.
The great news? Three of the whales went for a swim today, including 302. Everyone was smiles and I will be back for the 4:00pm- 12:00pm shift. Maybe longer.
The great news? Three of the whales went for a swim today, including 302. Everyone was smiles and I will be back for the 4:00pm- 12:00pm shift. Maybe longer.
OP
The Chairman
Chairman of the Board
They are requesting 30 days food supply. This is a long haul project, but there are good things happening everyday.
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Netdoc interviewed on the local news about the Pilot Whale rehab:
Volunteers Instrumental In Beached Whales' Recovery - Pets News Story - WPLG Miami
Volunteers Instrumental In Beached Whales' Recovery - Pets News Story - WPLG Miami
- Messages
- 5,120
- Reaction score
- 1,969
- # of dives
- I just don't log dives
- Messages
- 5,120
- Reaction score
- 1,969
- # of dives
- I just don't log dives
From an emotional point, it is the hug of a lifetime. A rare opportunity to hold another creature so huge who is now so helpless. To feel them tense in discomfort or fright and then relax when they have been soothed or to hear them sing is worth the hours of discomfort standing mostly in one position in chest deep water.
So far Ive worked one evening and one morning in the water and one afternoon with general and assorted duties as needed.
Some lessons learned:
Each of these precious creatures needs a LOT of man hours to heal and survive this crisis. There are not enough hours in the day and there are not enough volunteers. No, the entire operation is not well organized as they are working severely understaffed in crisis mode for days on end with no sleep.
Knowledgeable experts from other marine mammal facilities can not help because of the 72 hour quarantine imposed so that infectious diseases are not carried from one facility to another. Additionally, several of the volunteers who have come from these facilities can not go home to rest for fear of contaminating someone in their own household who is still working with marine mammals at these other facilities. Travel trailers have been borrowed so these folks can get some sleep.
If you can NOT get in the water or maybe they ask you to wait a bit until someone is ready for relief, there is SO MUCH that needs to be done. Answer phones & questions, sign up volunteers. Receive volunteers, liability releases need signing, give them a site tour. If youve done a few water shifts and listened to several briefings, you may find yourself giving intro briefings to new volunteers. Fitting volunteers with donated wetsuits, washing/hanging wetsuits. And litter patrol is ALWAYS needed. The People kitchen duty includes fetching beverages, straightening up, and making sandwiches, etc. for other volunteers and staff. In the Mammal kitchen there is washing & sterilizing dishes (These dishes are 3 gallon stainless buckets, industrial blenders, etc.), filleting herring, making sodium chloride solution, pulverizing vitamin tablets. You could find yourself running to the pharmacy for more supplies.
This was my impromptu shopping list: lecithin granules, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Calcium, mineral oil, salt, half & half. (HINT: If there are any pharmacists with connections for donations IJS). They also need purified water and distilled water in large quantities.
If you can donate funds, the cost of these very specific medical and dietary needs of these creatures is astounding.
The science of making gruel is extremely exacting. Some of the whales get a herring slurpy, while the calves are getting a herring milkshake made with half&half. They can not be fed just any fish, but herring from a specific Canadian region that has the optimal fat, protein, and water content per volume. Cant just fill them with junk food of the seas. These mixes are supplemented with vitamins, nutrients, and medications. The meals are liquefied so the animals can be tube fed with a hand pump. Unfortunately to get a consistency that will go through the tubes, the blenders tend to aerate the mix. Yes, whales get gas and then their gruel is supplemented with GasX or mineral oil. They have burned through several blenders in just a few days.
Vital signs are taken often, blood work is taken daily. We all know medical lab work isnt cheap. Injections are administered. Medicated salves are dabbed on their raw areas and where parasites appear, not to mention keeping them covered and wet to prevent even more sunburn.
This is a whale of task (pun intended). ANYONE can help in ANY capacity for a little bit of time or a lot of time. One thing everyone can do is spread the word. Folks from near and far are helping out. This effort will go on for weeks. You will feel needed and you will feel emotionally vested to see these creatures improve.
So far Ive worked one evening and one morning in the water and one afternoon with general and assorted duties as needed.
Some lessons learned:
Each of these precious creatures needs a LOT of man hours to heal and survive this crisis. There are not enough hours in the day and there are not enough volunteers. No, the entire operation is not well organized as they are working severely understaffed in crisis mode for days on end with no sleep.
Knowledgeable experts from other marine mammal facilities can not help because of the 72 hour quarantine imposed so that infectious diseases are not carried from one facility to another. Additionally, several of the volunteers who have come from these facilities can not go home to rest for fear of contaminating someone in their own household who is still working with marine mammals at these other facilities. Travel trailers have been borrowed so these folks can get some sleep.
If you can NOT get in the water or maybe they ask you to wait a bit until someone is ready for relief, there is SO MUCH that needs to be done. Answer phones & questions, sign up volunteers. Receive volunteers, liability releases need signing, give them a site tour. If youve done a few water shifts and listened to several briefings, you may find yourself giving intro briefings to new volunteers. Fitting volunteers with donated wetsuits, washing/hanging wetsuits. And litter patrol is ALWAYS needed. The People kitchen duty includes fetching beverages, straightening up, and making sandwiches, etc. for other volunteers and staff. In the Mammal kitchen there is washing & sterilizing dishes (These dishes are 3 gallon stainless buckets, industrial blenders, etc.), filleting herring, making sodium chloride solution, pulverizing vitamin tablets. You could find yourself running to the pharmacy for more supplies.
This was my impromptu shopping list: lecithin granules, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Calcium, mineral oil, salt, half & half. (HINT: If there are any pharmacists with connections for donations IJS). They also need purified water and distilled water in large quantities.
If you can donate funds, the cost of these very specific medical and dietary needs of these creatures is astounding.
The science of making gruel is extremely exacting. Some of the whales get a herring slurpy, while the calves are getting a herring milkshake made with half&half. They can not be fed just any fish, but herring from a specific Canadian region that has the optimal fat, protein, and water content per volume. Cant just fill them with junk food of the seas. These mixes are supplemented with vitamins, nutrients, and medications. The meals are liquefied so the animals can be tube fed with a hand pump. Unfortunately to get a consistency that will go through the tubes, the blenders tend to aerate the mix. Yes, whales get gas and then their gruel is supplemented with GasX or mineral oil. They have burned through several blenders in just a few days.
Vital signs are taken often, blood work is taken daily. We all know medical lab work isnt cheap. Injections are administered. Medicated salves are dabbed on their raw areas and where parasites appear, not to mention keeping them covered and wet to prevent even more sunburn.
This is a whale of task (pun intended). ANYONE can help in ANY capacity for a little bit of time or a lot of time. One thing everyone can do is spread the word. Folks from near and far are helping out. This effort will go on for weeks. You will feel needed and you will feel emotionally vested to see these creatures improve.
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