GardenStateGirlie
04-13-2005, 03:59 PM
We thought he was gone but it looks like he turned around and is heading up the river again....
http://www.nbc10.com/news/4372511/detail.html
TRENTON, N.J. -- A local expert says the Beluga whale currently in the Delaware River appears healthy -- and hungry.
Marine experts got as close to the whale as they could on Wednesday near Beverly, N.J.
Around 3 p.m., however, the whale changed direction and started swimming north, back toward Trenton.
They said it appeared to be fairly healthy--and believed it's possibly been in this part of the Delaware River for more than a week.
On the waters of the Delaware near Burlington City, the head of Brigantine's Marine Mammal Stranding Center focused his attention on the wayward 12-foot beluga whale.
"He's wise, he knows the depth," said Bob Schoelkopf. "The animal actually traveled about 40 miles since yesterday, down river, and now it's going back up again. The animal is doing about three knots, which indicates a very strong swimming animal especially going against the current as it is today."
He said the whale, native to Canadian waters, has an old scar across its back but appeared to be fairly healthy.
It spent much of the Tuesday in the Trenton area, but one woman has now reported seeing it south of the capital city last week--on April 4th.
Experts can only speculate on why it came here from the ocean.
"The only thing I can think of is the animal was off-shore feeding, and following the herring," said Schoelkopf. "And the herring happened to come in Delaware Bay and it liked what it was eating and it just kept going until it came all the way up here."
Authorities are trying to make sure boat traffic doesn't get too close to the Beluga. Assuming it's still here, a veterinarian from Connecticut's Mystic Aquarium is expected to do a further check of the whale's health possibly on Friday.
And federal officials will ultimately have to decide whether the animal should be captured or to let nature take its course.
"I'm praying it goes out on its own to the Delaware Bay and out to the ocean and that'll be it," said Larry Niles of the Department Of Environmental Protection.
Experts say the whale is just too wise to be coerced by boats back towards the ocean. It just seems to avoid the boats.
http://www.nbc10.com/news/4372511/detail.html
TRENTON, N.J. -- A local expert says the Beluga whale currently in the Delaware River appears healthy -- and hungry.
Marine experts got as close to the whale as they could on Wednesday near Beverly, N.J.
Around 3 p.m., however, the whale changed direction and started swimming north, back toward Trenton.
They said it appeared to be fairly healthy--and believed it's possibly been in this part of the Delaware River for more than a week.
On the waters of the Delaware near Burlington City, the head of Brigantine's Marine Mammal Stranding Center focused his attention on the wayward 12-foot beluga whale.
"He's wise, he knows the depth," said Bob Schoelkopf. "The animal actually traveled about 40 miles since yesterday, down river, and now it's going back up again. The animal is doing about three knots, which indicates a very strong swimming animal especially going against the current as it is today."
He said the whale, native to Canadian waters, has an old scar across its back but appeared to be fairly healthy.
It spent much of the Tuesday in the Trenton area, but one woman has now reported seeing it south of the capital city last week--on April 4th.
Experts can only speculate on why it came here from the ocean.
"The only thing I can think of is the animal was off-shore feeding, and following the herring," said Schoelkopf. "And the herring happened to come in Delaware Bay and it liked what it was eating and it just kept going until it came all the way up here."
Authorities are trying to make sure boat traffic doesn't get too close to the Beluga. Assuming it's still here, a veterinarian from Connecticut's Mystic Aquarium is expected to do a further check of the whale's health possibly on Friday.
And federal officials will ultimately have to decide whether the animal should be captured or to let nature take its course.
"I'm praying it goes out on its own to the Delaware Bay and out to the ocean and that'll be it," said Larry Niles of the Department Of Environmental Protection.
Experts say the whale is just too wise to be coerced by boats back towards the ocean. It just seems to avoid the boats.