The expectation has already been set, that a false killer whale taken to Sea World Gold Coast in Queensland, after stranding on a New South Wales beach Sunday, will likely never be returned to the ocean.
The amusement park's head of Marine Science, Mr Wayne Phillips, who attended the event in Casuarina, foreshadowed the juvenile female’s future by stating to the media that they 'plan to rehabilitate the whale at Sea World – so it can join a new pod.'
"The only tricky part is to try and find an appropriate pod for her to join and we'll have to consider that as we move forward," he said. "We'd like to think that it would be a positive outcome if we can find a pod of the species."
The false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) was found by beachgoers who raised the alarm with authorities. Bystanders working with volunteers from the Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA), as well as surf lifesavers, worked to keep the young whale alive, presumably until Sea World staff arrived.
Once on scene, Mr Phillips was seen dragging the animal backwards through the sand, pulling on its dorsal and fins; "the worst thing you can do," according to ORRCA representatives. "Their skin is like tissue paper, so it's like running it over rocks…and you're doing more harm than good."
Mr Wayne Phillips, Head of Marine Science at Sea World Gold Coast drags juvenile false killer whale backwards through the sand – as seen on 7 News Brisbane
Dr. Ingrid Visser, co-founder of Whale-Rescue.org in New Zealand stated “I was shocked when I saw video of Mr Phillips doing this. It is not only common sense but it is also Rescue 101: “Don’t drag them. If you have to move them, then you place them on special stretchers, or if need be on tarpaulins – that protects their delicate skin from being cut by shells or scraped off. The last thing that poor wee girl needs is to get an infection because of careless handling."
It seems that Mr Phillips, who took over his role from the seasoned Dr Trevor Long (whose career spanned 45 years), may have little experience with cetacean standings or their rescue.
Sea World's keeping and rehabilitation of this extremely social and family-oriented species is also highly questionable – they haven't kept them in their pools for decades.
In fact, although Sea World in Queensland currently breeds only smaller bottlenose dolphins, a practice unacceptable in every other Australian state, it did capture false killer whales from the wild for breeding until the late 80's-early 90's.
Information regarding the failure of its breeding program for this species is difficult to ascertain as Sea World refuses to provide accurate historical information to the public about those once kept. However it is known, that these animals did not thrive at the theme park, the majority of them survived only 1 year or less – all of them dying from infection or disease.
False killer whale performs at Sea World Gold Coast – S.Taylor
At this early stage, it remains to be seen if the young female will survive her ordeal - she may indeed die. Iff she does survive, it is Sea World that will determine her fate. Her release back to the wild will be unlikely, as Mr Phillips said - they would need to find a pod for her to join and Sea World will likely see value in keeping her in any case.
Should they not release her, Sea World will also decide what the rest of her life in captivity will look like. Since wild capture is now banned in Australia, and given its track record of past ‘rescues,' Sea World will absorb this valuable young female into its exhibits. She will become an attraction, a marketing bonus, one that provides public entertainment and revenue.
Her exploitation will be a greenwashed as heroic conservation efforts by her new 'owners', for the rest of her life – however long or short that may be.
References
Cover Image: Sea World Gold Coast Australia (Facebook 20 March 22)
Learn the facts about marine mammals in captivity here: https://awionline.org/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/AWI-ML-CAMMIC-5th-edition.pdf
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