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In Taiwan, volunteers fight against mass strandings of cetaceans
In a Taipei suburb, volunteers gathered around an inflatable dolphin learn how to rescue stranded cetaceans, a phenomenon that is increasingly common on Taiwan’s beaches and whose causes remain an enigma. The training is provided by the Taiwan Cetacean Society (TCS), an association that helps whales and dolphins that strand at a rate of around 100 each year, a number that has been rising sharply over the past decade. It was after watching a “rather gory video” of a turtle having a plastic straw removed from its nose that Joanna Hung, a 36-year-old saleswoman, decided to take the training. “If we didn’t attend the classes, we would do whatever we wanted and without the necessary knowledge, it could do more harm than good,” she told AFP. “I want to do my best for their survival.” Tseng Cheng-tsung, secretary general of TCS, said he gradually developed a “sense of commitment” after participating in several rescues, which encouraged him to pursue a master’s degree in marine biology. “Many people want to be closer to nature and protect it,” he said. – Military activities at sea – Until 2016, only a few dozen cetaceans were stranded each year in Taiwan, but this year the figure jumped to 90, says Yang Wei-cheng, a cetacean expert at National Taiwan University. Yang says the death toll can be attributed to rising sea surface temperatures and human activities that cause noise or pollution. But according to Lindsay Porter, vice chair of the scientific committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), the biggest killer of cetaceans worldwide remains fishing and accidental capture. Additionally, Porter says, “the noise levels associated with military activities at sea can be particularly high and intense, and can cause death or hearing loss in cetaceans, as has been shown elsewhere in the world.” Military activity has increased significantly around Taiwan in recent years, largely due to China’s increased ship, aircraft and drone raids, as well as live-fire exercises around the island, which it considers part of its territory. The causes of the surge in strandings remain unclear, Porter admits, but she says it is a real increase, not a spike in reports. Another possible culprit: the weather. After Typhoon Gaemi hit in late July, 15 dolphins, whales and turtles were found stranded on Taiwan’s coast in two weeks. That’s compared to an average of fewer than 10 stranded animals each month between June and September. Two days after the typhoon, a dwarf sperm whale was found on the shore of Yilan County in the northeast of the island. The animal was still breathing when TCS veterinarians rushed to move it onto a tarp and volunteers sprayed it with water. But he died when a construction machine tried to put him back in the water. The transport “stressed him a lot, so he held his breath for ten minutes and died,” said Hsiao Shun-ting, the veterinarian who witnessed the scene. Most cetaceans stranded in Taiwan die, either because they are already sick or because of the stress experienced during the rescue attempt. “People often ask us this question: is it worth it?” said Mr. Tseng, the marine biologist. He said every success is an unforgettable memory. Like the day when a 400kg, 3.15m-long pseudo-killer whale was able to return to the ocean after a nine-day rescue operation that involved more than 600 people and cost the equivalent of 5,500 euros. Mr. Tseng hopes that those who participate in the training will pass on their interest and knowledge about marine animals to their friends and families. “I think these people will slowly influence those around them… and help advance marine conservation in Taiwan,” he said. aw/dhc/mca/fox/alh/jco
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