A whale that had become stranded in Lough Swilly has sadly died.
In a tearful post this morning the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group relayed the whale’s final moments.
They wrote: “A sorrowful ending, there’s a few scenarios that could have brought the Fin Whale up the Swilly. But whatever the reason ultimately there was only one possible ending.
“The magnificence of this creature has to be appreciated, there is very little knowledge of its habits, it is a deep diving mammal so should not be anywhere near land. It is generally known to be a lone creature, but has been known to be gathered in twos and small groups.
“After receiving the report of a live stranding the Donegal IWDG, dedicated marine biologists and National Parks and Wildlife arrived to the site. After the agonising realisation that there was no way to give the mammal a chance of survival and no way to ease the distress of the creature as the glar restricted our access to it. All we could do was stay at a distance, in hope that comfort was given with our compassion.
“To follow is an account of the final moments:
“In the last moments of dusk, the heaviness of the animal had sunk its huge body deeper and deeper into the silt of the Swilly. The eerie laboured death rattle could be heard in between the animals blows. Thankfully after a couple of hours out of the water, that would have only mustered excruciating pain for the animal, as its usually graceful demure in 1000s of meters of sea felt the weight of its own body crushing it’s internal organs.
“The tide started to come in and the animal got a little bit of movement, it then gave five minutes of huge full body movements and with a final three huge booms from the flap of its tail off the glar, (likely to be bodily reflex fight for air) probably aided the silted water to securely block the blow hole.
Nearing the end of its natural life. The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group posted a beautiful piece this morning relating the whale’s final moments.
“The prayers to the ending of its suffering were answered and at 23:18 the eve of the Solstice 20/06/21 the Fin Whale had passed.
“A mention to the owners of the Castle Grove Country House, who shared access and their support to us and the mammal in the place of its final beats. They had kept their own vigil to the mammal and their kindness eased the sadness of the occasion.”
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