新华网堪培拉6月2日电（记者唐迎）澳大利亚志愿者和有关部门营救人员2日成功地帮助100多头在澳西南部海域集体搁浅的鲸鱼回到深海，只有一头鲸鱼在海滩上死亡。
据澳媒体报道，这批鲸鱼大多数是2日上午在南澳大利亚州首府珀斯以南230公里处的两处海滩上搁浅的。还有小部分已游到很浅的水中，当时人们担心这些鲸鱼也会搁浅。鲸鱼最小的约1．5米长，最大的约5米左右。
政府有关部门得知消息后立即呼吁人们紧急营救。1000多名志愿者和有关部门工作人员响应号召赶往现场参与营救。目前正值澳大利亚初冬季节，珀斯的气温一般在10到20摄氏度之间，水中的温度更低，而且预报说2日晚些时候将有恶劣天气出现。
为了在恶劣天气出现前使这批鲸鱼获救，营救者们不怕困难，遵循专业人士的指导，让搁浅的鲸鱼不倒下，保持鲸鱼的身体湿润，不让它们沾上沙子，并试图安慰他们。还有一些志愿者为战斗在第一线的营救者送来热咖啡、汤和三明治。许多鲸鱼被营救者用网拉回到海里。
除了死亡的一头鲸鱼外，当搁浅鲸鱼在营救者的努力下都返回大海后，欣喜若狂的营救者们激动得互相拥抱、欢呼。
目前，有关部门人员仍在观察这批鲸鱼，以防它们再次搁
video from ninemsn
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www.ninemsn.com]
No sign of whales after dramatic rescue
21:58 AEST Fri Jun 3 2005
AAP
A pod of whales that became stranded on a West Australian beach has not been spotted since being herded back into deep waters, giving authorities hope the mammals will continue their journey safely.
The Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) said a post-mortem examination on the only false killer whale not to survive the ordeal in Geographe Bay at Busselton, 230km south of Perth, revealed a heavy loading of parasites.
CALM regional wildlife officer Warwick Roe said the poor health of that whale could have led the rest of the pod into the bay where about 80 of the animals became beached in two groups less than one kilometre apart.
A further 20 whales were swimming in dangerously shallow waters for much of the day after the main group came ashore about 8am (WST).
More than 1,500 volunteers responded to an urgent call for assistance and shortly after 3.30pm Thursday the pod was herded back to sea by a flotilla of boats.
Spotter planes scouring the coastline reported no further strandings and Mr Roe said the post-mortem examination results gave them added hope the whale pod would not beach again.
"There was a heavy parasitic loading in the intestinal tract - more than what would normally be expected in a healthy animal," Mr Roe said.
"Most animals carry some sort of parasites in them but this one had a heavy load - predominantly worms - and where they have autopsied animals that have died in these sorts of strandings that is a fairly common thread. A lot of them have got a heavy loading of parasites."
Blood was also found in the animal's stomach but that was not uncommon in whales, Mr Roe said.
"It would be fairly safe to say it was suffering from the intestinal worm issue and probably some other illness perhaps associated with that," he said.
Further blood testing is yet to be carried out but other stranding events had shown whales pods will gather round to support a sick animal in shallow waters, putting them all in danger.
WA Environment Minister Judy Edwards said the massive rescue effort sent a strong message to Japan that people do not want commercial whale harvesting.
The International Whaling Commission is due to meet in South Korea next week to consider lifting the 20-year ban on commercial whaling.
Japan wants the commission to allow it to increase its scientific whaling in Antarctic waters but Australia is lobbying against such a move.
"This is an amazing reflection of the depth of feeling people in Western Australia have for our marine life, especially whales," Dr Edwards said.
"While governments can attempt to persuade Japan to drop its whaling operations under the pretence of science at a political level, the people involved in the rescue have sent an even more potent message.
"(Thursday's) effort is a clear message to the world - Japan, stop the slaughter."
Dr Edwards acknowledged the contribution of the volunteers, CALM staff and support organisations who assisted with the rescue in cold and difficult conditions.
"Their efforts were absolutely outstanding, particularly given the number of animals involved and the incredibly short time in which they were able to return the whales to sea," she said.
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本帖最后由 aska-飞鸟 于 2008-1-21 09:48 编辑 ]
