Mysterious Whale Beaching In Senegal
Villagers Struggle To Save Dying Animals Who Inexplicably Fled Their Ocean Home
-
-
Photo
Children play on the bodies of dead beached whales in the Yoff neighborhood of Dakar, Senegal, May 21, 2008. Residents struggled Wednesday morning to save some of the more than 80 whales that were stranded on the beach Tuesday night. At least 20 lay dead on the beach by midday Wednesday. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
-
Photo
Onlookers gather around a beached whale in the Yoff neighborhood of Dakar, Senegal, May 21, 2008. Residents struggled Wednesday morning to save some of the more than 80 whales that became stranded on the beach Tuesday night. This whale was successfully towed out to sea by a fishing boat, though at least 20 others lay dead on the beach by midday Wednesday. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
-
Photo
Boys attempt to pull a beached whale back into the ocean, in the Yoff neighborhood of Dakar, Senegal, May 21, 2008. Residents struggled Wednesday morning to save more than 80 whales that were stranded on the beach Tuesday night. This whale was successfully towed out to sea by a fishing boat, though at least 20 others lay dead on the beach by midday Wednesday. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
-
Photo
Young men try to stop a whale from swimming ashore in the Yoff neighborhood of Dakar, Senegal, May 21, 2008. Residents struggled Wednesday morning to save some of the more than 80 whales that were stranded on the beach Tuesday night. At least 20 lay dead on the beach by midday Wednesday. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
-
Photo
A boy runs across the bodies of dead beached whales in the Yoff neighborhood of Dakar, Senegal, May 21, 2008. Residents struggled Wednesday morning to save some of the more than 80 whales that were stranded on the beach Tuesday night. At least 20 lay dead on the beach by midday Wednesday. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
-
-
Fast Facts
Senegal
Learn about the people, economy and history.
Villagers living nearby said the whales were spotted late Tuesday night, veering closer and closer to the shore. By Wednesday morning many of them were beached. An Associated Press photographer counted at least 20 bodies, each the size of an adult man.
Children got into the water, trying to shoo away the other whales trying to swim ashore. Fishermen tied a cable to one of the beached whales and used a wooden boat to tow it out to sea.
Some people placed a roller used to move boats under the body of another whale and tried to push it toward the water. But they gave up when they realized the whale was nearing death.
When it was clear that many were dead, children began playing with the bodies, jumping up and down on the carcasses and using them as slides. Some villagers began cutting pieces off one of the dead whales, saying they planned to use the blubber for massage oil.
Officials could not immediately be reached for comment. People living near the beach said they had never experienced anything of this kind before.
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Video and Galleries from World
-
Video
Music In The Air
-
Video
U.S. Troops In Need
-
Video
Obama's Message To Africa
- Latest in World
- 2 Marines Killed in Afghan Bomb Blast
- Bulls See (and Spill) More Red in Pamplona
- 5 Iranian Officials Released by U.S.
- They might want to check for Sonar Damage. I assume that the US Navy is testing their whale-killing sonar there instead of here to avoid the protests.
- Reply to this comment
- The U.S. attack on these terrorist whales was completely justified. They were all carrying WMDs.
- Reply to this comment
- They were going to the Caan film festival and took a wrong turn in Albequeque. And yes my spelling sucks.
- Reply to this comment
- Rush Limbaugh on vacation again? Maybe with Cheney?
- Reply to this comment
