Concern Mounts That Whale’s Condition Is Declining

The Sacramento River’s humpback whale swam listlessly Tuesday in a narrow slough amid mounting concern that its condition is declining.

The 40-ton mammal seemed to lack energy as it swam in the freshwater channel and did not bring its body as far out of the water when it surfaced for air, marine biologists said.

Sheridan Stone, a wildlife biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service, arrived on the scene Tuesday afternoon. It was the first time the agency has sent a biologist to observe the whale since it entered San Francisco Bay 13 days ago and began swimming up the Sacramento.

“I guess it’s a fair statement we have been foot-dragging,” Stone said as he watched the whale swim in circles in Shag Slough, about 10 miles north of Rio Vista. “The pressure is building to come to a decision to do something.”

Halt Called

The agency, which has jurisdiction over the rare whale, has called a halt to all human attempts to coax the animal back to the Pacific Ocean 60 miles away.

Previous efforts to drive the whale home have included playing music and killer whale sounds, sending telepathic signals and herding the animal with boats and a helicopter.

“We are still not convinced that anything has to be done or should be done,” Stone said. “We’re not going to be doing things just to be seen as doing something.”

Stone, whose specialty is seals, said he was unable to determine anything about the whale’s health from his observations.

“The main handicap is that no one has the knowledge of humpback whales to give an accurate assessment of its condition,” he said. “I don’t have enough experience to know what normal behavior is.”

Swimming Slowly

However, other marine biologists who had observed the whale during its freshwater journey said the whale was moving lethargically, swimming more slowly and staying under water longer, a sign that it is resting.

“There’s been a marked change since Friday,” said James Hudnell, who spent six years studying humpbacks in Hawaii. “He’s less energetic. Even if he’s trying to feed, it looks like he’s being less successful.”

Debbie Ferrari, a marine biologist with the California Marine Mammal Center who has studied the whale daily, also said the leviathan’s health was visibly declining.

She expressed concern that the giant mammal could suffer a cerebral edema, or swelling of the brain, caused by prolonged exposure to freshwater. Such a condition, which has appeared in dolphins, would eventually be fatal.

Abnormal Behavior

“The first signs of that are abnormal behavior,” she said. “But by the time you see the signs, it’s too late.”

The Marine Fisheries Service was considering a plan to lure the whale out of Shag Slough and back toward saltwater, in part to prevent the possibility of a brain edema.

One plan would involve tapping pipes under water to create a noise that would drive the whale down river. However, Stone said no rescue plan has been decided upon.

Stone said he was sent to Rio Vista to serve as the agency’s news spokesman and to coordinate activities at the scene. Over the weekend, the Marine Fisheries Service has had two enforcement agents assigned to protect the whale from harassment.

“Mostly because of the public and media interest, we decided a biologist should be here,” Stone said.