This morning a humpback whale was spotted off the coast of Castricum. According to SOS Dolfijn, this is truly unique. Only since the beginning of this century have humpback whales been occasionally sighted off the coast of North Holland. SOS Dolfijn would really like to know how the humpback whale is doing and is looking for images to help determine this.
The humpback whale swam north this morning about a mile offshore and has not been seen since, Anne Marie said. Humpback whales can stay alone or swim in groups. “But animals can still communicate with each other even tens of kilometers away. So if they are seen alone, it doesn’t mean they are really alone.”
It is not yet possible to say whether the whale is in danger. SOS Dolfijn is looking for photos and videos of the humpback whale. “Based on its length and circumference we can tell whether it is a young or adult specimen and what conditions it is in.”
Rare
“It will always remain special,” says Anne Marie van den Berg, director of SOS Dolfijn. “It actually didn’t happen in the last century, but nowadays they swim almost every year. They usually stay for a few weeks, sometimes months, usually between October and March.”
“It’s a bit of a question what are they doing here. The North Sea is a shallow lake with lots of activities such as sailing routes and wind farms, it’s actually strange that they still go into the North Sea. But humpback whales can survive well in shallow waters. When it comes to a sperm whale, it’s a different story, they are in great danger of beaching themselves,” says Anne Marie.
SOS Dolphin is still on the alert, but Anne Marie says there is no reason to panic for now.
If a whale or dolphin is in danger or threatens to end up in the waters, SOS Dolfijn takes action. For example, they warn the expedition or try to prevent the animals from becoming stranded. Supplemental feeding is not an option. “Humpback whales are whales, they eat live fish. We can hardly throw a school of herring in front of them.” If a marine mammal washes up on the beach, we will check whether it is still possible to help it. Otherwise euthanasia is chosen. “This is how we put the animal out of its suffering.”
2024-01-19 14:04:00
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