"The water was also discoloured and reddish, which was thought to be blood," says Meyer.
The animal then came ashore and lifeguards swam it out five times, but it kept returning to shore. The lifeguards contacted the marine rangers who arrived about an hour-and-a-half after the first sighting. It had a laceration under its tail, as well as grazing under the tail and mouth and on the bottom of the snout, and possible bruising on the abdominal region.
The rangers say the water was very cold at the time, but there were pockets of warm water where many fish were swimming and where the 2m female may have been hunting
After coming ashore yet again and laying on the beach for about two hours, the animal was pulled back into the water again, but seemed very disorientated. Everyone was very relieved when it eventually slowly made off into deeper water, staying on the surface for half-an-hour before it finally disappeared.
"No one is sure exactly what species the animal was, as no measurements were taken. It may have been a Pygmy Sperm Whale or Dwarf Sperm Whale, but we are unsure. A tooth count would have been ideal. The red fluid in the water which was thought to be blood was most probably the brown/reddish fluid faeces which it jets out like a squid. This is a fairly rare whale," reports the rangers.
They warn the public that in cases where a marine mammal is beached, people should not wait to call the responsible authorities.
"Do not touch it and stress it out by having a crowd around it. Also, be careful when keeping the animal wet, not to throw water on the blow hole."
In the Goukamma MPA, contact the marine rangers on 044 383 0042.
An unknown animal, possibly a Pygmy Sperm Whale or a Dwarf Sperm Whale, beached at Buffel's Bay for two hours on April 2 before being saved by Goukamma marine rangers and lifeguards. (Photo: Wayne Meyer/Goukamma MPA.)
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