There was a moment of joy for the tireless marine mammal rescuers working to save a pod of stranded pilot wales Saturday evening in the Keys: two of the seven surviving whales were deemed healthy and released in deep waters nine miles offshore.
Data from satellite tracking tags affixed to their dorsal fins showed the pair swimming strong in the deep water of the Florida Straits Sunday afternoon.
"We're all breathing a sigh of relief," said Karrie Carnes, spokeswoman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "They’re where they're supposed to be."
Cheers erupted Saturday afternoon on the barge releasing the whales when the two adult males met in open water, touched each other, and then swam away together.
The whales, each over 12 feet long and more than 1,000 pounds, were first fitted with the trackers, which are expected to last between 2-3 months.
The pair were part of a pod of 20 pilot whales who inexplicably beached themselves Thursday near Cudjoe Key, about 20 miles east of Key West.
Thirteen of them have died, and the surviving seven have been cared for in a makeshift waist-deep pen, where volunteers continue to cover the whales' exposed bodies in zinc and sheets to protect their sensitive skin from the sun.
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A fourteenth lifeless whale was brought in from sea even as the healthy whales were released.
While workers were thrilled to see the healthy pair of whiles head for sea, the prognosis is not as bright for the five who survive. Veterinarians say three are in stable but guarded condition, while two are critical. Officials are planning to eventually relocate all five to the Marine Mammal Conservancy in Key Largo.
It is not known why the whales stranded themselves in shallow waters, a phenomenon that usually indicates illness, confusion, or injury. Necropsies will be performed on the deceased whales to see if any indications can be found.
