Global News - April 2008

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Rare killer whale rescued in Australia

Thu 24 April 2008 14:00 UK — Australasia,Marine Wildlife

A very rare pygmy killer whale has been rescued after it became stranded on a beach in South Australia.

The local ABC News reported that the rare whale was discovered in trouble on a beach at Denial Bay.

It is believed that it is the first time the species has ever been seen in South Australia.

According to the news agency, the National Parks Service announced that a team had managed to help the whale back out to sea, but added that there were fears the mammal could beach itself again.

Dr Catherine Kemper explained to the news agency: "They're a tropical animal so they don't live in our colder waters down here.

"I suspect this one would have come around perhaps on the Leeuwin Current, that's a very warm current that comes around the corner of WA (Western Australia).

"It's a small animal about the size of a large dolphin but it looks different from a dolphin because it doesn't have a beak, so it's got this kind of bulbous head and it's kind of cute because it's got white lips, it's got this white marking around the mouth and that makes it quite distinctive."

It is believed that pygmy killer whales are naturally rare and that around 38,900 individuals survive in the eastern tropical region of the Pacific Ocean.

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