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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Rescuers put down beached whale | Rescuers put down beached whale |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A young whale which had become stranded on a north Wales beach has been put down by a rescue team. | A young whale which had become stranded on a north Wales beach has been put down by a rescue team. |
| Rescuers were hopeful that the mammal, thought to be a minke whale, would survive when it swam back to sea after being stranded for several hours. | Rescuers were hopeful that the mammal, thought to be a minke whale, would survive when it swam back to sea after being stranded for several hours. |
| But it became beached again between Criccieth and Pwllheli. | But it became beached again between Criccieth and Pwllheli. |
| Tony Woodley from the charity British Dive Marine Life Rescue said it was a sad ending but necessary to prevent the orphaned calf from any more suffering. | Tony Woodley from the charity British Dive Marine Life Rescue said it was a sad ending but necessary to prevent the orphaned calf from any more suffering. |
| Shoving it back into the sea without its mother would have been a death sentence Tony Woodley, British Dive Marine Life Rescue | Shoving it back into the sea without its mother would have been a death sentence Tony Woodley, British Dive Marine Life Rescue |
| The whale's body was being moved on Wednesday morning ahead of a post mortem examination, which is due to take place during the afternoon. | |
| Mr Woodley, the rescue group's director, said the decision to give the whale a lethal injection was only made after a lengthy assessment and there was no other option. | Mr Woodley, the rescue group's director, said the decision to give the whale a lethal injection was only made after a lengthy assessment and there was no other option. |
| "Shoving it back into the sea without its mother would have been a death sentence," he told BBC News. | "Shoving it back into the sea without its mother would have been a death sentence," he told BBC News. |
| "It's dependent on its mother's milk and there was no evidence that there was an adult around. | "It's dependent on its mother's milk and there was no evidence that there was an adult around. |
| "It was dark, choppy and windy and trying to reunite the animal would have been impossible. | "It was dark, choppy and windy and trying to reunite the animal would have been impossible. |
| "It's always a tough call, but the most important thing is that the animal didn't suffer." | "It's always a tough call, but the most important thing is that the animal didn't suffer." |
| The mammal, thought to be less than a year old, was first spotted at about 1500 GMT on Tuesday high up on the beach. | The mammal, thought to be less than a year old, was first spotted at about 1500 GMT on Tuesday high up on the beach. |
| 'Myfanwy' | 'Myfanwy' |
| After more than two hours and a major rescue effort, the three-metre long animal swam out on the high tide. | After more than two hours and a major rescue effort, the three-metre long animal swam out on the high tide. |
| But later reports revealed it had become washed up on the same stretch of beach for a second time. | But later reports revealed it had become washed up on the same stretch of beach for a second time. |
| Dark and windy conditions made the rescue operation particularly tough for the team of volunteers but they did a "tremendous job", Mr Woodley said. | Dark and windy conditions made the rescue operation particularly tough for the team of volunteers but they did a "tremendous job", Mr Woodley said. |
| He said had the team known about its plight earlier, more could have been done. | He said had the team known about its plight earlier, more could have been done. |
| Holyhead coastguard, part of the rescue operation, said the whale had been nicknamed Myfanwy. | Holyhead coastguard, part of the rescue operation, said the whale had been nicknamed Myfanwy. |
| The post-mortem examination is expected to look at the condition of the whale's body and carry out tests on its blubber. | The post-mortem examination is expected to look at the condition of the whale's body and carry out tests on its blubber. |
| Mr Woodley said large species without support from water can suffer renal failure as muscle cells break down and cause toxins to be released. | Mr Woodley said large species without support from water can suffer renal failure as muscle cells break down and cause toxins to be released. |