Recent years have seen an increase in mass stranding of whales and New Zealand has the highest rates in the world. Stranding, either by an individual animal or by mass stranding, can be the result of old age, illness, injury, navigation error, or social bond.

Most strandings occur in remote and unpopulated areas and go unreported. However, there are many success stories related to stranded whale rescue. These rescue interventions pose a great risk to both the animal and the public.

Here are some safety tips to keep in mind when rescuing beached whales:

1. Inspect the stranded animal from a safe distance to determine if it is in distress, pain or discomfort. It is important to keep people and the dog at a safe distance to avoid further stressing the animal.

2. Call an expert for help. Many countries have wildlife officers who are trained in handling stranding emergencies who work closely with qualified veterinary officers. People such as the local marine mammal stranding network or wildlife personnel or police could help

3. When reporting the stranded animal, be sure to inform the officer of any distress and describe what it would be. Inform them of any injuries, strange physical activity, or sounds. Remember to give the exact physical location to make it easier for the rescue team to locate you.

4. Keep a safe distance from the animal. The animal may appear defenseless, but it is still a wild animal that may instinctively harm it to protect itself. A whale is a powerful animal that can seriously injure people if they roll in water. Also, the stressed animal can flap its tail and put it at risk of injury.

5. Avoid any form of contact with the animal as whales can carry many zoonotic diseases. But for whatever reason, if you do touch the whale, make sure you wash your hands well.

6. It is important not to try to push the whale into the water without proper help. This could result in a re-chaining that could lead to severe stress, injury, and death.

7. For the animal’s safety, make sure the blow hole on the top of its head through which the whale breathes is not blocked or underwater. With the right help, you can gently roll the whale, which may be lying on its side, on its belly to make sure the nostril is facing up.

8. It is advisable to constantly place buckets of water on the whale’s skin while keeping it away from the nostril. This helps keep their fur moist and cool while plans are made to return the stranded animal to the water.

9. If you have access to water-soaked burlap bags, you can cover the whale’s skin to protect it from dryness and protect it from sunburn. Be careful not to cover the nostril and fins.

10. Stay with the whale until the rescue team arrives. They may need information about what happened at the scene prior to your arrival.

The purpose of helping beached whales is to return them to the water. You must follow the instructions of the experts, who have the necessary training to take care of these types of animals. In some cases, it may be possible to push the whale into the water, but you must be careful not to harm the animal.