Stranded whale getting weaker

Stranded whale getting weaker

MANOKWARI, Irian Jaya: A whale stranded in the Arfai beach since Friday is becoming weak because it cannot either feed or free itself, Antara quoted an official.

M. Situmorang, of the nature conservation office said on Saturday the whale was already distressed and has not had enough to feed on since low tides tossed it on the beach on Jan. 5. The mammal is 20 meter in length and three-meter in height.

"We tried to feed it, but it refused to eat," Situmorang said.

Efforts to rescue the whale jointly conducted by units of the Navy, the environmentalist group World Wide Fund for Nature, and the fishery office have not succeeded so far.

Simanjuntak blamed the lack of facilities and experts.

The Manokwari administration has forbidden local people from coming near the trapped whale. (swe)