Whales and dolphins are extremely difficult to rescue
Recorded 4 years ago
About this recording
Alistair Jack explains how his interest in diving led to his involvement in the international charity British Divers Marine Life Rescue. He went on to become Scottish national organiser, travelling to many parts of the Scotland and further afield as part of a team effort to rescue endangered seals, whales and dolphins. Alistair also devised a training syllabus for fellow volunteers.
He warns that seals are very dangerous and should not be approached. "Adult seals are exceptionally dangerous because of their weight and they are obviously aggressive. Pups can look docile and calm but can give you a really nasty bite."
Nevertheless, Alistair came across incidents where people had unwisely taken seals into their homes, including one case where a woman was keeping a stranded seal pup in a bed and trying to feed it with mashed bananas. "I was gobsmacked," Alistair recalls.
He has been in some highly risky situations and perhaps the most memorable was the rescue of a humpback whale that had become entangled in netting in Iceland in August 2015. It was a lengthy, painstaking and ultimately successful operation.
"We were literally within a metre of its thrashing tail, that's how close to it we were," Alistair says. The whale was later named Netty.
He also talks about the challenges of dealing with mass strandings, which are "a real nightmare".
Alistair, formerly of Scarfskerry and now living in Staxigoe, stepped down from his BDMLR role in 2017 after a work injury. Asked about the number of marine animals he has rescued, he says: "Seal pups, I stopped counting after 500. Cetaceans [whales and dolphins], I've been involved in approximately 80 rescues. Not all have been successful. Whales and dolphins are extremely difficult to rescue."
Alistair also says: "Obviously every life is important but no whale is so important that it's worth risking a human life. But, by having highly trained, dedicated and motivated volunteers, anything is possible."
Footage of the Iceland humpback whale rescue can be seen on YouTube via this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH38C_U0lOk
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