Sully the Pilot Whale's Story
July 14, 2009: Pilot whale strands on west beach of Jan Tiel Bay.
Swimmers push him back to deeper water. Body shows evidence of
emaciation. The Southern Caribbean Cetacean Network (SCCN) is called to
investigate.
July 15, 2009: Rescue Crew from SCCN arrives. Whale strands on east
beach. A blood sample reveals no infectious disease or organ failure,
but severe starvation and dehydration. Crew administers stomach tube
feedings of fluids and medications. Zanzibar Restaurant offers the use
of pier for rehab center. A make-shift facility is created.
July 16, 2009: Whale begins eating fish from trainer's hand after tube
feedings. Later, he eats regularly from a surfboard. Tube feedings of
fluids are no longer necessary. Zinc oxide is used as a sunblock on
whale's back.
July 18, 2009: Whale shows a loss of appetite. While being handled for
blood sampling, crew notices a severe infection of the fluke (tail) vein
and surrounding tissue - indicating a potentially systemic (and
ultimately fatal) spread of bacteria through the blood. Veterinarians
prescribe a powerful antibiotic to be injected daily into the muscle.
July 19 - 28: An army of volunteers is required to safely handle the
whale in order to administer the injections every evening.
The condition of whale's fluke improves dramatically. By the 28th, he
no longer requires antibiotics. He has been gaining weight and his
energy level steadily increases.
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August: What began as an affectionate nickname used among the people
caring for the pilot whale, "Sully" becomes his official name. The
inspiration came from the name of another "pilot" . . . Chesley
Sullenberger. Known as Captain Sully, he safely landed US Airways
Flight 1549 on the Hudson River, New York - saving the lives of all 155
on board. Considering the whale's courage and strong will, SCCN
considers their Sully to be a hero too.
July 20th August 10th
August: Throughout the month, Sully's health and fitness continue to
improve significantly. To increase his strength and stamina, the crew
train him to follow their boat. Beginning inside the pen, the crew
expands training to a netted area of the bay, and later to the open
bay. The goal is to eventually drive him to a pod of pilot whales.
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September 1, 2009: In the late afternoon, Sully begins to rub
aggressively on the netting of the pen. For over three hours, the crew
tries desperately to prevent him from entangling himself. Considering
the threat of Sully drowning in the fencing, the crew decide to drive
him out to sea for his release.
After more than one hour at sea, and despite not being fed, Sully
refuses to swim away. Therefore, the crew decides to leave the whale
and race back to Jan Thiel. At a distance of over 13 km from the
island, the crew is stunned to see Sully keeping up with the boat at
over 40 km/h. He somehow maintains this incredible pace all the way to
the bay. Impressed by Sully's resolve to not be left alone, the rescue
team commits to continue caring for him and reinforcing the facility.
(Continued on Sully's Story Part 2)