Rare dwarf
sperm whale rescued,
treated on Maui

It was bleeding when it
washed up yesterday

Associated Press

KIHEI, Hawaii >> A rare dwarf sperm whale was expected to be returned to sea today, a day after it was found stranded and injured on a Maui beach.

The 8-foot whale was bleeding heavily when it washed up on Kamaole Beach yesterday at about 9 a.m., said diving instructor Mike Demarzo.

Demarzo and his students pulled the 500-pound whale back into the ocean, holding its blow hole above water, while waiting for authorities to arrive.

Lifeguards, meanwhile, closed the beach and drove their personal watercraft along the shore to ward off sharks that might have been attracted by the sheen of blood.

Hannah Bernard, director of education at Maui Ocean Center, said the whale could have been injured by a shark bite or when it was beached.

The whale was taken to the Maui Ocean Center for overnight treatment and observation. "They're quite rare in terms of sightings in Hawaii," said the center's general manager Steve Still. "They're a very beautiful animal."

Officials praised the rescue efforts by Demarzo and others.

"They responded, they did right thing," Bernard said. "We're really grateful that everybody worked to get her off the beach and get her in our tanks, so she could be stabilized and watched. We have made the determination that she is doing great and is well enough to release."