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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Stranded sick whale put to sleep | Stranded sick whale put to sleep |
| (2 days later) | |
| A 26ft (8m) whale that beached on a mudflat off the south coast of England has been put to sleep with a lethal injection, rescuers said. | A 26ft (8m) whale that beached on a mudflat off the south coast of England has been put to sleep with a lethal injection, rescuers said. |
| The Northern Bottlenose, which has suffered kidney failure, became trapped in Langstone Harbour, off Hampshire, on Thursday and beached overnight. | The Northern Bottlenose, which has suffered kidney failure, became trapped in Langstone Harbour, off Hampshire, on Thursday and beached overnight. |
| Rescuers had suspended an attempt to issue a lethal injection because the mammal swam back out to sea. | Rescuers had suspended an attempt to issue a lethal injection because the mammal swam back out to sea. |
| But after it beached again, medics put it to sleep at about 1845 BST. | But after it beached again, medics put it to sleep at about 1845 BST. |
| Faye Archell, director with the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, said the whale was administered with a fast-acting fatal strength anaesthetic, called Immobilon. | Faye Archell, director with the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, said the whale was administered with a fast-acting fatal strength anaesthetic, called Immobilon. |
| "The decision has been made based on medical grounds," she said. | "The decision has been made based on medical grounds," she said. |
| "It's the right decision for the whale. It's sick and distressed and it has come in for a second time. It has chosen to strand both times. | "It's the right decision for the whale. It's sick and distressed and it has come in for a second time. It has chosen to strand both times. |
| "We now know it's not a navigational error but it has stranded for a reason, it is sick." | "We now know it's not a navigational error but it has stranded for a reason, it is sick." |
| A post-mortem examination will be carried out and samples will be sent to laboratories around the country for testing. | A post-mortem examination will be carried out and samples will be sent to laboratories around the country for testing. |
| The body will then be disposed of either out at sea or in a landfill site. | The body will then be disposed of either out at sea or in a landfill site. |
| Pontoons were used to free the whale from mudflats | Pontoons were used to free the whale from mudflats |
| Experts warned if the six-tonne mammal carried on swimming in deeper water it could take up to two days to die naturally from renal failure, which had been confirmed with a blood test. | Experts warned if the six-tonne mammal carried on swimming in deeper water it could take up to two days to die naturally from renal failure, which had been confirmed with a blood test. |
| Earlier, the whale was freed from mudflats using a special lifting pontoon but it remained in shallow water. | Earlier, the whale was freed from mudflats using a special lifting pontoon but it remained in shallow water. |
| An operation to try to save the whale, believed to be a young adult, began on Thursday. | An operation to try to save the whale, believed to be a young adult, began on Thursday. |
| The whale ended up about 3,000 miles (4,828 km) off course due to its illness, experts said. | The whale ended up about 3,000 miles (4,828 km) off course due to its illness, experts said. |
| Dr Paul Jepson, a vet with the British Zoological Society of London, said: "When it's too shallow to feed, they become dehydrated, and they become weakened and that's the problem. | Dr Paul Jepson, a vet with the British Zoological Society of London, said: "When it's too shallow to feed, they become dehydrated, and they become weakened and that's the problem. |
| "Then they strand and get the muscle damage. It's a picture that we're increasingly recognising now, the more we investigate these strandings. | "Then they strand and get the muscle damage. It's a picture that we're increasingly recognising now, the more we investigate these strandings. |
| Dr Paul Jepson of the London Zoological Society | Dr Paul Jepson of the London Zoological Society |
| "It may originally have been part of a pod, a larger group." | "It may originally have been part of a pod, a larger group." |
| Stephen Marsh, an advanced marine mammal medic with BDMLR, told BBC News many people had worked to save the whale as well as two specialist vets. | Stephen Marsh, an advanced marine mammal medic with BDMLR, told BBC News many people had worked to save the whale as well as two specialist vets. |
| About a dozen firefighters, police, coastguards, the Ryde Inshore Rescue Independent Lifeboat and Hayling Island harbour staff took part in the rescue attempt. | |
| The species feed on deep-sea squid, which are not readily available in the English Channel. | The species feed on deep-sea squid, which are not readily available in the English Channel. |
| It is the same species of whale as one that died despite a massive rescue attempt to save it when it swam up the River Thames in January 2006. | It is the same species of whale as one that died despite a massive rescue attempt to save it when it swam up the River Thames in January 2006. |