-in multi-agency effort
The combined efforts of personnel from the University of Guyana (UG), and several agencies, along with public-spirited residents of Buxton resulted in the successful rescue and return to sea of a pygmy whale (Feresa sp.) which found itself stranded on the Buxton foreshore, East Coast Demerara.
A UG release on Tuesday reported that the young whale became stranded and required urgent assistance. Responding swiftly were Chief Fisheries Officer, Denzil Roberts; Fisheries Officers Kadeem Jacobs and Phillip Williams; as well as marine biologists and biologists, Mark Ram, Eric Stoll, Rovindra Lakenarine; and Elford Liverpool from UG’s Department of Biology and the Centre for the Study of Biological Diversity (CSBD). Also involved in the rescue effort were community members from Buxton.
The release explained that during the operation, the team assessed the whale’s condition, identified its species, and provided expert guidance to ensure minimal stress and risk to the animal. Wet cloths and water were used to keep the whale stable and hydrated before it was safely transported and released via the Demerara River Estuary at the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) in Georgetown.
The successful rescue was a coordinated effort among several agencies, including the Ministry of Agriculture Guyana, Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Guyana Police Force, and MARAD. The release credited this unified response as not only responsible for saving the whale’s life, but also underscored the shared commitment to marine conservation among these organisations and the community.
