The Whale in the thames

[dotjhawkes]

Wasn't it sad

[allotment10]

i felt so sorry for the poor thing,must have been really confused and frightened, let's hope if it ever happens again the poor thing doesn't die.

[logman]

It certainly was Dot, i cuold'nt help but wonder if it realised that people was trying to help it, or did it think it was under attack. It seemed to me, those slings that lifted it must have been like cheese wire, against that 4 ton weight..

[copippin]

I think that the poor creature should have been monitored and an eye kept on it but I'm sure all the handling stressed it out to the extent that it's death was a blessed release. I feel that making such a production of the attempted rescue left the poor creature with little or no dignity during it's final hours.perhaps the intended post mortem will reveal the cause of death. Media excitement at the expense of a sick defenseless creature,--not my idea of entertainment.

[Julia6]

It was extremely sad for the whale and I hope it didn't suffer too much distress. I guess if we can find a 'positive' in this it's that, in this often sad / violent world we live in, I found it very heartening, so that so many people wanted to help this confused and poorly creature and that there seemed to be a feeling of togetherness while people were concerned for him. Sometimes it's easy to forget that there are so many kind and caring people out there.

[mimi-moomoo]

It shows that people in this world still care about animals because the poor whale touched everyone's hearts! I'm really upset about what happened but I'm proud of the people that were trying to move him to a better place!

There are still good people in Britain! :-)

[bill barlow]

Yes it was sad, but remember that was part of evolution if you believe in Darwins theory or the work of God if you are religious. I think the money would have been better spent on OAP,s.

[Julia6]

The last post seemed quite cynical to me. Of course money could always be better spent, but life isn't always about money!!! Human spirit, warmth and a feling of caring are just as, and sometimes more important than money.

[bill barlow]

Think you missed the point there Julia6. It was not about money but who is more important?? An animal or a human who probably fought for this country Only to let it be taken over by the PC/ Animal rights activists??

[Julia6]

Interesting comment Bill. I have a respect for life, be it human or 'animal'. I can think of, and know professionally, people who some would say, are not not deserving of saving., I don't recognise a hierarchy of humans over 'animals'. Only life on the planet. I don't want to sound like a flake, but to put all human life over 'animals' is not fair or well appraised. Think of the likes of Hiter, Shipman, Saddam Hussain. I would much rather put my energy into a non threatening gentle 'animal' like the whale who died a possibly distressing death. Julia.

[Julia6]

P.S. just to let you know, I work professionally to help humans. I care very much about animals, but am not an animal rights nutter! Julia.

[bill barlow]

OK, I take your point. My only point is humans should be looked after by humans in preference to imals. I know there have been bad ones but so be it. I would still prefer MY taxes to be spent on an OAP who spent 3 years in the trenches defending your right to speak, gradually eroding though it, is thanks to people who prefer to put animals first.

[bill barlow]

Sorry, lots of typos

[andy-hughes]

Re. copippin's comment - I understand your stance with regard to the 'circus' that often spontaneously springs up around such quirky events as this, but I do feel that attempts to rescue this animal were valid. As a salt water mamal, it's time in the fresh water of the Thames was always finite, and monitoring it would simply have meant watching it die slowly, wheras an attempt to liberate the whale, although unsuccessful, represented its best chance of staying alive - any illness that caused the fault in its internal navigation system that caused its loss of direction notwithstanding. The stress caused by handling may have hastened, or indeed contributed to the animal's sad demise, but I think the perception that people were 'entertained' by its suffering is somewhat wide of the mark. People were intrigued, and hopeful that this wonderful animal would be returned to its normal habitat, sadly that was not to be.