From Iceland — Icelandic Pilot Whales Stuck, Rescued, Then Come Back

Icelandic Pilot Whales Stuck, Rescued, Then Come Back

Published August 13, 2018

Andie Sophia Fontaine
Photo by
Natale Carioni/Wikimedia Commons

A valiant rescue effort to herd a pod of pilot whales in west Iceland was successful, but now the whales seem to have returned near to where they got stuck before.

RÚV reported yesterday that dozens of pilot whales were spotted in Kolgrafafjörður, in the Snæfellsnes peninsula in west Iceland. It soon came to light that the whales were trapped, and in need of being herded out of the area.

Rescue workers were deployed, and it soon became apparent that there were about a hundred whales in need of saving. In all likelihood, the whales were staying put because of a shadow cast by a bridge over the fjord.

Later in the evening, success was achieved; all the whales in the pod were guided out of the fjord by rescue squads from around the region. There was much rejoicing, but then the inexplicable happened.

It came to light this morning that a large pod of pilot whales have appeared in the fjord again. It is unknown if these whales include those who were rescued yesterday. Something appears to be attracting the whales into the fjord, but it is unknown what that could be at this time.

Regardless, if these whales do become stuck, rescue workers will be on hand to guide them to safety.

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