Stranded pilot whale expected to be released in May

Staff members do a blood test for "Haitang". [Photo by Hainan Daily]

The injured short-finned pilot "Haitang" receiving lifesaving care in Sanya was guided into a medical pool for a medical examination on April 24.

This examination is a part of the preparatory process before the release of "Haitang". The relevant government departments and experts are expected to evaluate the results of this examination and the recovery situation. If the standards for release are met, the release will be organized in May.

The outdoor aquatic area where the pilot whale named "Haitang" resides is a "natural seawater area" that was specially designed by Sanya Haichang Ocean Park. This area is created to simulate the original marine ecological environment according to the local conditions. This aquatic area consists of two zones, with a total water volume of nearly 12,000 cubic meters and an area of 4,500 square meters, with a depth of 2.5 to 4 meters.

Currently, "Haitang" can consume 12 kilograms of squid and 2 kg of herring per day, and the staff feed four times a day.

The pilot whale is a national second-level protected animal. Unfortunately, due to their massive size, the chances of survival after being stranded and rescued may be less than 1 percent. "Haitang" is a sub-adult short-finned pilot whale, measuring 362 centimeters in length and weighing 500 kg.

Cao Zheng, the person in charge of the Sanya Haichang Ocean Park Animal Rescue Center, said that if the release goes smoothly, the rescue of "Haitang" will be the first successful rescue of the largest whale species in China, which can be considered a miracle.