Dwarf sperm whale stranded on southern Taiwan beach

Want China Times, CNA 2012-11-30

The whale has been covered with wet towels as experts decide how

to help it. (Photo/Wang Hsuan-chi)

A dwarf sperm whale was found stranded on a beach in southern Taiwan's Chiayi county with bruises in its underside, local firefighters said Tuesday.

Firefighters and environmental officials have administered emergency treatment and covered the whale with wet towels, said Cheng Yung-hua, a section chief at the county government's Environmental Protection Bureau.

Professionals said they will assess the health of the whale and will wait for the evening to push it back to sea, if it is in good enough shape. If its injuries are serious, however, it will be taken to a rescue station in Chiku, Tainan for care and released at a later date, they said.

The firefighters said they received report at 1:30 pm that a 1.6-meter-long dolphin was on the beach near Butai township and needed help to get back into the water. Cheng said however a dwarf sperm whale could easily be mistaken for a dolphin because of its size.

A dwarf sperm whale typically grows to about 2.7 meters in length and weights around 250 kilograms, making it smaller than a big dolphin.