Pygmy Blue Whale Rescued Off New Zealand's North Island

Cover Media

20 September 2024 at 10:30 am

Pygmy Blue Whale Rescued Off New Zealand's North Island. A juvenile pygmy blue whale was successfully rescued on 16 September 2024 after becoming trapped beneath a private wharf near Kawau Island, off New Zealand's North Island. Local residents spotted the whale in distress and swiftly alerted authorities, prompting a coordinated rescue effort led by New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DOC). Despite being a juvenile and pygmy subspecies, the whale measured an impressive 14 to 15 metres in length (approximately 45 to 50 feet), according to DOC officials. “This was a highly unusual situation, and we worked carefully to free the whale while ensuring the safety of everyone involved,” said the DOC in a statement. The rescue operation received vital assistance from the Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust, representing the local Ngāti Manuhiri iwi of Kawau Island. The Trust's chair, Mook Hohneck, highlighted the cultural significance of whales to the Māori community and stressed the importance of swift action. “Tohorā (whales) are a taonga (treasured) species, and in these emergency situations, it is important we act both quickly and in accordance with tikanga (customs) to ensure their safe release,” said Hohneck. The rescue required part of the Schoolhouse Bay Wharf to be dismantled, with several piles removed using an excavator to free the whale from its position. The DOC noted that the whale remained calm throughout the process, and no further distress was observed as it swam into deeper waters. Monitoring will continue to ensure the whale's wellbeing, and the public has been urged to report any sightings of the whale to DOC. Local residents and visitors are encouraged to report any sightings of the whale to the DOC hotline.

Western Telegraph
Giant endangered fish makes dramatic return to Pembrokeshire waters
An endangered giant fish, absent from Pembrokeshire waters for about half a century, has made a dramatic return.
CBC
Massive grizzly bear known as 'The Boss' spotted in Canmore area
Massive grizzly bear "The Boss" seemed to have lost his bearings earlier this week.He was spotted by a local nature photographer in the Canmore area, much farther east than he's normally known to frequent.The Boss, officially known as Bear No. 122, was seen Sunday where photographer and biologist Jason Leo Bantle lives in Harvie Heights, a hamlet just northwest of Canmore.Parks Canada said The Boss is in his mid-20s, and the last time he was captured he weighed roughly 450 pounds (about 200 kilo
The Independent
A robot got stuck under Antarctic ice years ago. Its data has now revealed an even bigger problem
Antarctica is one of the fastest-warming regions in the world
Daily Echo
‘Much-loved’ three-month-old giraffe calf at Marwell Zoo dies
A “much-loved” three-month-old giraffe calf at Marwell Zoo has died
The Northern Echo
New EV chargers in North Yorkshire car parks need to be replaced, council confirms
North Yorkshire Council will remove up to 32 EV charging points in four car parks in Bedale, Northallerton, Stokesley and Thirsk.
Futurism
Scientists Consider Drastic Action as Doomsday Glacier Threatens to Flood Entire Islands and Coasts
Thwaiting Period The Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica is called the "Doomsday Glacier" for a reason. Larger than the state of Florida, the icy mass contains so much water that scientists predict that its melting could single-handedly raise global sea levels by over two feet — and possibly over five times more that, if it triggers […]
Associated Press
Trump has vowed to kill offshore wind in the US. Will he succeed?
Opponents of offshore wind energy projects expect President-elect Donald Trump to kill an industry he has vowed to end on the first day he returns to the White House. Many of the largest offshore wind companies put a brave face on the election results, pledging to work with Trump and Congress to build power projects and ignoring the incoming president's oft-stated hostility to them. In campaign appearances, Trump railed against offshore wind and promised to sign an executive order to block such projects.
The Independent
Met Office gives verdict on UK snow forecast after reports of four-day ‘arctic blast’
Reports emerged claiming the UK would be hit with an ‘arctic blast’ by the end of November
Storyful
Grizzly Bear Catches Snowflakes on Tongue in Adorable Video
One of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s resident grizzly bears was the picture of winter joy as he reclined cozily in the snow and caught snowflakes on his tongue on Wednesday, November 6.This adorable video captures Emmet, a 19-year-old grizzly bear, catching snowflakes on his tongue at the zoo in downtown Colorado Springs on Wednesday.“We love snow days at the zoo, and we’re open every day of the year,” the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo said in a press release.According to the zoo, Emmet and his “longtime roommate,” Digger, both came to the zoo in 2007 as young bears. They are not biologically related and were both labeled as “nuisance bears after several negative interactions with humans prior to being removed from the wild,” the zoo said.The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo said nuisance bears often “aren’t as lucky as these two,” and end up euthanized or relocated.Grizzlies are native to the Rocky Mountain region and do not hibernate, instead gaining enough weight “to carry them through the cooler season” along with their fluffy coats, the zoo said.Grizzlies go into torpor, a “hormonal physiological and behavioral change triggered by the changing seasons” that sees the bears slow down, sleep more, and “want to eat, eat, eat,” according to the zoo. Credit: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo via Storyful
The Telegraph
‘You’re in the hands of mother nature’: The million-pound house perilously close to the edge
The tiny thatched cottage perched on Peak Hill, a 400 ft cliff above Sidmouth in Devon, has unrivalled views of the Jurassic coast – but you take your life in your hands to enjoy them. Following a dramatic cliff collapse last week, which triggered a smaller rockfall below the property, there is now just 40 ft separating the house from the cliff edge. Another rockfall and the garden could be taken out altogether, or worse still, the historic cottage could topple into the sea. “I doubt anyone is s
The Telegraph
SNP ban on woodburning stoves scrapped because alternatives are ‘more polluting’
SNP ministers have scrapped a controversial ban on installing woodburning stoves in new homes after a huge backlash in rural Scotland forced a “humiliating” about-turn.
Reuters
Spain's flood disaster was its worst in recent history. Here's what went wrong
The water was already knee-high on the ground floor of the hotel where Aitana Puchal had taken refuge when she received a text alert from the regional government of Valencia at 8 pm on Oct. 29 warning people to shelter in place from severe flash floods. "We could have done with (the warning) about six hours earlier," said the 23-year-old, who had fled with other local residents and guests to the first floor of the hotel near the town of Paiporta. Carlos Martinez, another Paiporta resident, told local television the flood alert came when he was stranded in a tree "seeing bodies floating past."
The Argus
Water company's £40 million plans to improve town blighted by flooding
A multi-million-pound plan has been launched to help protect a seaside town blighted by flooding and water issues.
The Guardian
‘It’s a play area for townies’: visitors and residents row over plan for new national park in Wales
A proposal to protect part of rural Wales has sparked a furious debate over who the countryside is for
The Northern Echo
Dazed and injured young fox rescued after being struck by car and falling into a pit
A young injured fox has been rescued from a pit by the RSPCA near Redcar, and is now thankfully on the mend.
Wiltshire Times
Residents could face £1k fine for putting household waste in public litter bins
Residents have been warned they could face a fine or be prosecuted for fly-tipping if they are found depositing their household waste in public litter bins.
The Argus
Swans injured and allegedly attacked at pond
Wildlife rescue volunteers are concerned for the safety of swans at a pond.
Euronews
One of the largest volcanoes in Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula erupts
After the volcano located in Russia's far east erupted, clouds of ash were visible from 250km away.View on euronews
CBC
Site C dam reservoir now fully filled, generating power but flooding land loved by locals
After 11 weeks, the Site C dam reservoir in northeastern B.C. is now fully filled.B.C. Hydro announced the process was complete on Nov. 7, having started in August.One electricity generating unit has already started feeding into B.C.'s power grid, and another five are set to come online between now and the fall of 2025, increasing the province's power production capacity by an estimated eight per cent.The utility says it has conducted over a thousand inspections for safety checks and will contin
The Guardian
Why exporting endangered eels to Russia makes sense
Letter: The plan to transport millions of River Severn elvers to the pristine Vistula and Curonian lagoons is a viable way to conserve the species, says Peter Wood

Shoppers say these M&S sequin trousers are 'perfect in every way' for party season

Pygmy Blue Whale Rescued Off New Zealand's North Island

Latest stories

Giant endangered fish makes dramatic return to Pembrokeshire waters

Massive grizzly bear known as 'The Boss' spotted in Canmore area

A robot got stuck under Antarctic ice years ago. Its data has now revealed an even bigger problem

‘Much-loved’ three-month-old giraffe calf at Marwell Zoo dies

New EV chargers in North Yorkshire car parks need to be replaced, council confirms

Scientists Consider Drastic Action as Doomsday Glacier Threatens to Flood Entire Islands and Coasts

Trump has vowed to kill offshore wind in the US. Will he succeed?

Met Office gives verdict on UK snow forecast after reports of four-day ‘arctic blast’

Grizzly Bear Catches Snowflakes on Tongue in Adorable Video

‘You’re in the hands of mother nature’: The million-pound house perilously close to the edge

SNP ban on woodburning stoves scrapped because alternatives are ‘more polluting’

Spain's flood disaster was its worst in recent history. Here's what went wrong

Water company's £40 million plans to improve town blighted by flooding

‘It’s a play area for townies’: visitors and residents row over plan for new national park in Wales

Dazed and injured young fox rescued after being struck by car and falling into a pit

Residents could face £1k fine for putting household waste in public litter bins

Swans injured and allegedly attacked at pond

One of the largest volcanoes in Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula erupts

Site C dam reservoir now fully filled, generating power but flooding land loved by locals

Why exporting endangered eels to Russia makes sense