Rescuers race to save pilot whales stranded on Eastham beach

By WBZ Staff

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    EASTHAM (WBZ) — Animal welfare workers were racing to save five pilot whales stranded on a beach in Eastham on Tuesday.

A sixth whale, a calf, has died.

Rescuers from the International Fund for Animal Welfare have covered the whales in blankets and were caring for them with IV fluids.

As high tide arrived later in the afternoon, the rescuers carefully helped the whales back into the water on floats. The harbormaster then pulled them out to sea.

“Some of these animals are very large,” IFAW director of marine mammal rescue and research Brian Sharp said. “The largest animal we estimate is almost 4,000 pounds – almost two tons.”

The whales were initially spotted swimming north of Sunken Meadow close to shore on Monday night.

IFAW says it has responded to nearly 6,000 marine mammal strandings on the Cape since 1998.

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