July 2, 2025

The Stranded Whale: Unite them

I got Adrien’s call at 9am... I know that if he is calling at this time on a day off, something is up.
"A stranded whale in Black river, see you there" please,no.



A pygmy sperm whale lay stranded on the wet sand of Black River Lagoon. My heart sank before I even reached the beach. Please, dont tell me its death

When I arrived, it felt like a funeral for someone we loved. The whale lay still, half buried in sand, its skin torn by coral. One eye was swollen shut. Please, breathe give us strenght...

The other eye... was wide open.yes!

It stared at me with total confusion. It was as if it was asking, “Why am I here? What happened? Its painful. I dont like this” I could feel its fear. That single gaze held every question and every plea. And me, trying to contain all the emotions so that i could focus more.

The First Responders

Coast guard officers Parmanand, Poongavanan, Felicité, Naidoo and Saddul were one of the first to arrive. They knelt beside the whale and gently poured seawater over its body. Their hands moved like they were giving a gift of life. Soon after, Albion Fisheries Centre; Adrien Joseph and Kitish Bersay from Adrien’s Dream; Alain Dubois and Pascal from DolSwim; Wilney Longflet and Tej Sumputh, who made the push-back operation possible; as well as Arvind Gopal, Ben Girot, and marine biologists Dr. Natacha Aguilar and Lana Barteneva-Vitry.  Together we formed a circle of care around the whale.




I know how much pain was in all of our eyes, specially on Adrien and Natacha that i know them the most. But there was no time for feelings now.Adrien focused had identified which species was it and it did explain lots of stuff. A video was shown to us of the animal releasing a lot of liquid from its body when first encountered. At first sight, blood.
I cant accept that

At second sight and thanks to Natacha, a cetacean expert and Lana also a cetacean expert and very well known scientist protecting this animals with MMCO (Marine megafauna conservation organization) realizing about this, ink. A quick check showed this was a male pygmy sperm whale about 297 cm long and 175 cm wide.
They evolved in a way that if threatened by anything they release ink all around to confuse its predators. Incredible Please, survive i beg you

These small whales usually dive over 1 000 m to find squid. They hardly ever strand. When they do, few survive.

The First Push

The whale’s breaths were quick (a sign of stress). We were supposed to wait for the Fisheries Ministry. But none of us could watch it suffer. Biologists, coast guards, boat guides, fishermen and people on the beach gently rocked the whale back and forth until it loosened from the sand. Come on, come on boy get up.
Then, with every ounce of strength, we all heaved together. The whale began to slide toward a little deeper water. Its breathing eased. I looked into its open eye again and saw relief shining through.

Panic by the Rocks

Just as hope filled us, the whale panicked and darted toward sharp rocks. Our hearts twisted with fear. no, no, no...
Natacha and two coast guards plunged into the shallows and waved their arms to steer it away. Its echolocation clicked back to life. Those sound pictures let it find the safe path again.

The Final Rush

The channel was narrow and full of boats.
We are with you... you can do this.

Teams from DolSwim, Adrien’s Dream, MMCO and local whale‑watching operators formed a protective corridor. For over an hour we guided it gently, never letting it stray. Then the whale surged forward with a burst of power. Its tail flung water like a rocket. It raced past our boats, and start behaving very normal for a whale. Its breathing became calm and steady. I watched until it slipped beneath the waves and tears filled my eyes. Because i was watching this.



I was watching this local heroes getting together for saving the hell out of this whale.

A Letter to the Whale

To you, gentle soul:

you swam off to explore the hidden depths of Mauritius, the beautiful undersea world that surrounds this island. I hope no boat disturbs your path for many moons. I hope you flourish in these waters and live a long, happy life. I hope you never face such terror again. But if you do, know that you have us forever. You are protected by these amazing local ocean warriors and we will always be here to care for you. 



Your sincerely

Spotted Fabri