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Friday, July 27, 2007 | 23:05
 | | Animal experts have been monitoring the whale since Friday afternoon |
A NORTHERN bottlenose whale which became stranded in the River Orwell is likely to be put down tomorrow, marine medics have confirmed.
The 15ft whale became stranded in the shallow waters near the Orwell Bridge earlier today and a massive rescue operation was launched.
The mammal did become beached at one point but has since re-floated on the rising tide and is swimming freely again.
However, specialists said its condition had already been “compromised” and it would probably need to be destroyed tomorrow to prevent it suffering.
 | | The bottlenose whale will probably have to be put down to prevent suffering |
The whale would be monitored overnight but its position was likely to be lost in the darkness, Trevor Weeks, from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue group, said.
It would be re-found at first light and, if not beached already, it would be forced to beach.
This would enable medics to assess its condition and give it medication in controlled circumstances.
Mr Weeks said: “It is not the outcome we were hoping for.”
It is the fourth whale to become trapped in river networks in the east over the last year. The most well-known case was of the bottlenose whale that became stranded in the Thames. None of the previous whales that have become trapped have survived.
The alarm was raised at around 2pm today when the whale was spotted in the water opposite Fox's Marina and the coastguard was alerted.
The BDMLR was informed and is now coordinating the operation. It mobilised teams with boats, along with the coastguard, Sea Watch, and the RSPCA.
Specialist medication and equipment was tonight being brought in from across the south-east.
An exclusion zone was also set up in the Orwell as onlookers gathered on the shoreline and on Orwell Bridge to witness the events unfold.
It is believed the whale was around 200- 400 miles off course and may have already have been ill when it entered the Suffolk river.
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