London Whale

[StuartDH]

A Northern Bottlenose Whale has been sighted travelling up the Thames this morning (at the moment it's around Westminster) and live pictures are currently running on BBC News 24. Reports came in yesterday afternoon to the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) who were alerted that the two whales had been sighted, but they've only found one.

As a deep water species (around 1000m) it's usually found out in the Atlantic over the continental shelf, off Norway and up in the Arctic, so it's obviously on the wrong side of the UK and a long way from home. It's sometimes found around the west coast, but as it feeds at big depths it usually stays well out in the ocean. There have been strandings on the west coast of the UK in the past few years and a few have recently beached entered shallow waters in Skye and Cardgian Bay.

Naturally, there's great concern about the welfare of the whale and it's ability to feed (usually squid, sea cucumbers, starfish etc), but that sort of food is only available at the mouth of the Thames and further out to sea. However, all being well, it should have a good capacity to go without feeding in the short term.

Various agencies and the British Divers Association are monitoring events, with a view to rescuing the whale if it beaches on the banks of the river. If it doesn't beach then it looks likely that they'll try to steer the whale away from the shores.

At about 6 metres in length (they can grow up to 9m), it looks like it may have come up an outgoing tide. There's some hope that it'll change direction and travel back out as the tide turns and the river fills up. The whale has been approaching the shore and could well be ill, old or diseased, or it could have been stressed out at sea.

While it's not too unusual to see other whales strand on beaches around the UK, a deep-diver like this one is obviously a very rare sighting, especially in a river environment. The upper reaches of the Thames are not fully saline, but that in itself shouldn't present too many problems for at least a week or two.

Large crowds have gathered, but as long they're just looking it's not considered likely that bankside observers will cause any harm to the whale. However, requests have been made for boats in the river to stay away as they could create a lot of noise and subsequent distress.

[pheonix]

thanks for the info studh. i had seen it on the news in the pub but there was only picture and no sound.

[StuartDH]

It looks as though there are at least 2 - the other is down by Southend-on-Sea

[Boddie]

Fair play to those who braved the Thames to scare the whale away from the shores. Just a guess but I'd say more likely the vulnerable and possibly homeless rather than stockbrokers. Whoever they are, they deserve medals. It's baltic here in Brum.

[Oy]

Blimey!

Do we have anyone down that way that can get some pix for the Gallery?

[John]

I must admit that when the news came up on my pager this morning I wondered if it was a wind up. As the day progressed so the pager reports kept coming in, along with the Southend sighting.

Obviously I have now seen it on the news and can only hope that a succesful conclusion comes about.

Magnificent looking mammal and one I would have loved to have seen myself.

[Oy]

It's looking like it may be heading back out to sea

[StuartDH]

I've just added some graphics of a Northern Bottlenose Whale to the Gallery for teachers, media and anyone else to use for free.

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/ga...mages.php?c=18

[Boddie]

Glad to see all of the boats have backed off and are allowing the whale some space this morning. Is it just me or is Sky's coverage a bit bizarre? There seem to be alot of whale experts phoning in and stating the rather obvious. I particularly liked Mark this morning who, whilst claiming to be at the scene, on hearing the helicopters cameras had sight of the whale, from the presenter he was talking to, asked that the helicopter backed off. Mate its a mile away, its a big fat zoom lens. For me the curiosity may be the downfall of the whale. Is it really that necessary to have boats so close to it? We have seen it now, the helicopters' pictures are fine but the boats must be stressing it. Those that are not there to aid the whale should not be allowed on the water. Strikes me no-one knows what on earth to do. Such as shame that the curiosity / freak show may lead to a tragedy.

[Fern]

I couldn't agree with you more Boddie, the poor creature must be so disorientated and frightened.....if we can manage to close motorways to traffic, surely we can prevent all craft ( except for essential rescue boats )
on the Thames until something can be done to help the whale.