An Ailing Whale Found near Athens returned to Deep Ocean

According to Greek officials, a sick young whale which was found on the shore of Athens in a rare sight has retreated to deep oceans after getting medical treatment. The male Cuvier’s beaked whale is presently swimming south island of Salamis. The deputy environment minister Georgios Amyras said that its condition was still delicate.

The dolphin-like whale, which generally lives in seas deeper than 1,000 metres, was found near the Athens shore on Thursday. After it reached the shallows of a popular beach in the Athens district of Palio Faliro on Friday, wildlife specialists and lifeguards were called in.

Amyras said the whale was watered and given medicines before being transported to the open sea late Friday. “This is a deep sea animal, the longer it stays in shallow waters, the worse its health will be,” he explained. Cuvier’s beaked whales may dive up to 4,000 metres and grow to reach seven metres long.

Although sightings of living whales are relatively rare in Athens, often whale carcasses do wash up on the shores of the Greek islands.