Maritime animal conservation group demonstrate how to rescue a stranded whale

It’s not every day you get a chance to rescue a whale, but people in Prince Edward Island got a chance to see what it’s like on Wednesday.

The Marine Animal Response Society, a Nova Scotia-based animal conservation group, put on a workshop that taught federal parks and fisheries staff and Atlantic Veterinary College personnel how to save a beached whale at Dalvay by the Sea, P.E.I. The workshop used an inflatable whale dummy to give participants hands-on time with the specialized equipment used to get the massive mammals back in the water.

“Especially large whales that have come ashore, how do we help them, what is the best way to help them, and what are the tools in order to that, especially to do that safely?” said Tonya Wimmer, executive director of the Marine Animal Response Society.

Safety is a major concern when rescuing beached whales, as a swing of their tail could severely hurt someone.

Anyone who sees a beached whale is asked to not directly intervene, but instead call the Response Society so they can assess the situation.

-With files from Jack Morse

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