Chapter 696: United Efforts to Rescue the Melon-Headed Whale!

Fang Ye quickly sprang into action!

He called out to the opposite dining table, "Meng Shi, come with me! There's an emergency—melon-headed whales are stranded. Pack up your food and eat on the way to keep your strength up. We'll need you to perform."

Meng Shi was shocked, "What! Stranded whales?"

Though surprised, he moved swiftly!

Instead of packing, he gulped down his meal quickly and finished eating.

The employees who heard the news were equally astonished and began discussing it!

"Whoa, I saw news about stranded melon-headed whales in the north a few months ago, and now they're here!"

"Requesting to join the mission!"

"Director, take me with you!"

Fang Ye quickly called on a few strong keepers!

Handling cetaceans, whether to return them to the water or bring them back to the zoo for treatment, requires trained personnel.

Though melon-headed whales have "whale" in their name, they are relatively small, about two to three meters long and weighing two to three hundred kilograms, unlike the massive sperm whales.

Five to six people can lift one.

Next, they started preparing the necessary tools.

For aquatic mammals, the primary issue is overheating once they leave the water. The higher the temperature, the more crucial it is to have plenty of cool water.

Cetaceans need to maintain a cool skin feel. If they start to feel warm, you must spray cool water on them. The pectoral fins, dorsal fin, and flukes are critical for temperature regulation as these areas lack fat, allowing heat to dissipate. They also indicate the cetacean's comfort level.

If these areas feel warm, the cetacean is overheating.

Xiao Haidong suggested bringing ice and towels, soaking the towels in seawater, and covering the cetaceans, avoiding the blowhole. The pectoral fins, dorsal fin, and flukes should be left exposed for cooling.

Then, place ice on the wet towels to cool them down!

When cooling with water, avoid pouring it near the blowhole.

Other tools included nets, stretchers, poles, ropes, sunshades, and foam pads...

The foam pads protect the cetaceans during transport by cushioning the edges!

One common issue during cetacean transport is discomfort with the stretcher, causing agitation.

They might also struggle if they feel too hot.

Placing soft foam pads around them can reduce abrasions and injuries.

Additionally, they learned some cetacean handling techniques and movement considerations.

For bird rescues, they usually cover the birds' eyes to reduce stress by making their surroundings dark.

However, cetaceans are calmest when they can see their environment, so covering their eyes might make them anxious.

The mayor's secretary soon called!

Getting straight to the point, he said, "Hello, Director Fang? Do you need anything for the dolphin rescue?"

Fang Ye replied, "A crane and a truck! If the melon-headed whales are injured and need rehabilitation, we can bring them to the zoo for a few days."

"Alright, I'll arrange that for you!"

Fang Ye cleared out the penguin exhibit and began preparations.

With everything organized, the employees gathered the tools, got into the van, and set off with a police escort!

Besides their zoo, the local fisheries department and fire department also rushed to the stranding site.

...

On the mudflats, the video shooter Xiao Yu had gathered dozens of enthusiastic villagers.

He had gone to get help because he knew he couldn't save the melon-headed whales alone.

More villagers, having heard the news, were also on their way!

Seeing the melon-headed whales lying in the mud, struggling and flapping their tails, they gasped in amazement!

"Oh my! So many dolphins!"

"I've lived by the sea my whole life and never seen anything like this!"

"Look at its eyes, it seems to be crying, so pitiful!"

"This one isn't moving at all, is it dead?"

A villager cautiously approached a melon-headed whale from behind. This whale had its head buried in the mud, while its companions were still struggling, but its tail was motionless.

He gently nudged it with his foot, but it didn't move.

It seemed to be dead!

"What should we do now?"

"I heard experts are on their way!"

"Are we just going to watch until they arrive?"

"Xiao Yu, what did the experts say when you contacted them?"

The villagers all looked at Xiao Yu!

Xiao Yu started a video call with Fang Ye.

Fang Ye, after seeing the situation, said, "First, dig out the melon-headed whales' heads from the mud! Right their overturned bodies!

Their blowholes are on top of their heads, and if they're blocked by mud, they'll suffocate."

"Got it!"

"Everyone, let's do this!"

The villagers spread out, surrounding the melon-headed whales and began clearing the mud around them.

They dug out those with their heads buried and righted those that were overturned!

Though it seemed simple, it was actually quite labor-intensive.

The soft mud on the mudflats could swallow a person's leg up to the knee, making walking difficult.

The sun was blazing, with strong UV rays burning their skin.

The villagers worked fervently, covered in mud and sweat, without a word of complaint.

Their only thought was to save these creatures and not let them die in front of them!

They first righted those buried shallowly, then moved on to help with the deeper ones, setting each body correctly.

They used water to flush out mud blocking the blowholes, carefully clearing it away.

One melon-headed whale, half-buried in the mud and seemingly lifeless, started moving its mouth after being righted and having its blowhole cleared, gasping like a human!

Its eyes were moist and it made faint sounds.

Xiao Yu asked for further instructions, "Director Fang, what next?"

Fang Ye remotely guided, "Pour water on them to cool them down! Otherwise, they'll overheat and die. Provide some shade.

When pouring water on them, avoid the blowhole, or cover it with your hand to prevent water from getting in. Pour more water on the pectoral fins, dorsal fin, and flukes, as these areas dissipate heat quickly!

"Got it!"

The first group of enthusiastic villagers hadn't brought any tools!

They took off their clothes to cover the melon-headed whales' heads, shielding them from the scorching midday sun.

Some ran to the sea, soaked their clothes in seawater, and returned to squeeze the water onto the whales.

But this method was inefficient!

Luckily, more villagers arrived from the village, bringing basins and buckets.

They began scooping water and pouring it over the whales.