REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS

Another grey whale stuck up one of our rivers.

POSTED BY: NIKI2
UPDATED: Thursday, August 4, 2011 10:44
SHORT URL:
VIEWED: 1571
PAGE 1 of 1

Thursday, August 4, 2011 9:44 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...


Quote:

While traveling down the West Coast on HWY 101 just past the Oregon and California border we came across a flood of people on a bridge. Of course we had to stop. But to our surprise, the object of everyone's attention wasn't a school of salmon or even a bear, it was a grey whale trapped in the Klamath River. After getting the skinny from some fellow on lookers, we learned that the whale wasn't alone to begin with. Almost a month ago, this grey whale navigated its way up the Klamath river with it's baby calf. Only a few days prior, the calf abandoned its mother and made the journey back out to the Pacific Ocean leaving the mother all alone circling the 101 bridge. Although she may feel lonesome she is not. There were around a hundred spectators cheering for her to make it back out to the cool waters of the Pacific Ocean. http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-646099?hpt=hp_bn1



(I looked for it on youtube, and had to smile...there are videos all the way down the list for "Klamath whale"...ahhh, the adge of personal video...)

This has happened before. We've periodically has whales of one kind or another get confused and go up rivers, or stick around the Bay. Apparently the river dropped a bit and she can't easily get out. If she doesn't get out immediately, there will be flotillas of boats trying to coax her, brains whirling to figure out ways to save her, Coast Guard getting involved.

I appreciate that people care, but it always makes me shake my head sadly at the amount of resources we pour into saving one whale, in comparison to how that money, time and energy could be spent saving humans.

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, August 4, 2011 10:17 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT


saw this story over on CNN.com, and I thought, "Whoa! That's right up there in Niki's neighborhood." Then had time for a second thought, which was, " NO,it's really farther north, up by Crescent City somewhere."

I wish the poor beastie luck...

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, August 4, 2011 10:37 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...


Well, kinda yes and no. As far as I know, all the whales stuck until now were down here and yes, this is the Klamath up near the Oregon border. But as far as my "neighborhood", I've spent a lot of time up that way, we've camped up there a lot, so it's kind of both my neighborhood and not my neighborhood, if you kow what I mean.

Yeah, my heart goes out to mamma too; I'm glad the baby made it back and I hope she does too. It's just sad. We have whale-watching tours all the time and I've been on an arial whale-watch, and they see them "commuting" down Monterey way twice a year, as we do...greys are kind of thought of as "our" whales in California, as opposed to Humpbacks, which we think of as more Mexican or Hawaiian.

She's not doing so well...sounds like she got stuck back in June, and I spotted this at the end of July:
Quote:

A female gray whale remains stuck in a Northern California river despite scientists' efforts to nudge the 40-ton mammal seaward with unpleasant underwater sounds.

Sarah Wilkin of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association says a rescue team Tuesday played killer whale and alarm sounds through speakers mounted on a boat on the Klamath River.

The team had hoped the sounds would help send the whale back in the direction of the Pacific Ocean a few miles downstream, but to no avail. The mother and her calf wandered into the river in late June.

Wilkin says the calf apparently weaned itself from the mother and returned to the ocean late Saturday.

Scientists are concerned the mother will not find enough food and that her skin will suffer in the freshwater environment.

Yes, her skin WILL suffer (I did a lot of marine mammal rehab and some rescue years ago), and at this point it's doubtful she'll make it back out. She also won't find ANY food, tho' they do fast when preggers, so she'd be okay if she got out.

And there's all that time, effort and money, just as I expected. I'm glad they do things like this, but I wish we cold fnd a way to expand that to efforts at saving humans...and that from an avid animal rights supporter, no less.


Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off



NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

Thursday, August 4, 2011 10:44 AM

HERO


Quote:

Originally posted by Niki2:
And there's all that time, effort and money, just as I expected. I'm glad they do things like this, but I wish we cold fnd a way to expand that to efforts at saving humans...and that from an avid animal rights supporter, no less.


I say going out and hunting whales for food is wrong, but if they whale is going to all that trouble to get to us...steaks all around!

Whaleburger on a wheat roll with lettuce and tomato...

I'm all in favor of animal rights, which include the right to be eaten by other animals including myself.

H

"Hero. I have come to respect you." "I am forced to agree with Hero here."- Chrisisall, 2009.
"I would rather not ignore your contributions." Niki2, 2010.

NOTIFY: Y   |  REPLY  |  REPLY WITH QUOTE  |  TOP  |  HOME  

YOUR OPTIONS

NEW POSTS TODAY

USERPOST DATE

OTHER TOPICS

DISCUSSIONS
Russia Invades Ukraine. Again
Thu, May 2, 2024 07:04 - 6359 posts
Time's money, but how much? Here's what Americans think an hour of their time is worth
Thu, May 2, 2024 05:03 - 4 posts
In the garden, and RAIN!!! (2)
Thu, May 2, 2024 04:08 - 3593 posts
POLITICO: 72 Minutes Until the End of the World?
Wed, May 1, 2024 23:28 - 11 posts
Russian losses in Ukraine
Wed, May 1, 2024 22:49 - 1028 posts
Storming colleges with riot cops to keep them ‘safe’ should scare America about what’s next
Wed, May 1, 2024 22:30 - 15 posts
Elections; 2024
Wed, May 1, 2024 20:42 - 2350 posts
China
Wed, May 1, 2024 14:09 - 453 posts
Scientific American Claims It Is "Misinformation" That There Are Just Two Sexes
Wed, May 1, 2024 12:12 - 27 posts
human actions, global climate change, global human solutions
Wed, May 1, 2024 07:43 - 836 posts
I'm surprised there's not an inflation thread yet
Wed, May 1, 2024 07:12 - 747 posts
Poll: Election-Shifting Percentage Of Voters Admit To Illegal Voting In 2020
Tue, April 30, 2024 20:16 - 1 posts

FFF.NET SOCIAL