The beaked whales that were seen yesterday off the coast of Zandvoort have not been spotted today. After SOS Dolphin’s search for the animals was discontinued last night, it was resumed early this morning – before sunrise. So far without results: “It is also difficult to spot the animals when they go deeper into the water,” says Ronald Vos of the Zandvoort Rescue Brigade.
As far as is known, beachgoers have not spotted the animals today. That chance was also very small due to today’s weather conditions. This was mainly due to the wind, which was stronger today than yesterday, and therefore caused a higher wave action.
There is no point in looking for the dolphins yourself, even when the sea is calmer again, says Vos. “The sea is too big to look for dolphins. Yesterday it was low tide, so it’s easier to see. But looking for the fish yourself is not something to do.”
Beachgoers were surprised yesterday when they suddenly saw some dolphins swimming near the surf. Several bathers came to the rescue by pushing the animal further into the sea. One of the bathers even tried to climb on the dolphin’s back, which was filmed and caused bad blood across the country. Soon after the police called on the woman via social media to come forward, she did too.
Although according to Annemarie van den Berg of SOS Dolphin ‘it’s good that people have saved him (the dolphin, red)’, according to her it is not always the best choice to guide marine animals to deeper water.
‘Often seriously ill’
“It differs per strand and per species what is the right thing to do. People often think it is the right way to help an animal, but very often stranded cetaceans are seriously ill, weakened and tired. Then they are does not benefit from a transfer.”, according to Van den Berg.
“Actually, they also have to leave the North Sea because they don’t survive there either”
“Beaked whales are toothed whales that do not actually occur in the North Sea,” says Van den Berg. “These are whale species that only live in very deep seas. They find their food at a depth of two to three kilometers, so they could not survive at all in the North Sea. So it is good that he has been rescued, but actually they have to enter the North Sea because they don’t survive there either.”
A dolphin was also spotted from a boat in IJmuiden in 2020. The dolphin was swam close to the small rubber dinghy of a freighter entering the harbor.