Whales escape to the sea after many days of straying

After nearly a week of drifting into a sub-branch of the Sacramento River, nearly 115 km from the Pacific Ocean, two humpback whales began swimming back into the sea last afternoon, US rescue officials said.

Scientists are not sure why these animals turned their heads, after weeks of rescuers taking all methods to bring them back to the sea. They planned to drop 3 to 5 rescue boats into the water to drive the two whales down the river at least 24 km, where saltwater would be better for their health.

Before heading south, the veterinarians used sponge pads attached to a long pole to wash the skin from the wounded spots on the whale's mother.

Due to prolonged exposure to fresh water, they have suffered severe skin damage, making the body more susceptible to attack by bacteria that are not present in their familiar seawater environment.

Deep cuts on both skin, as if they had collided with the life of the boat, became more serious. However, veterinarians believe that injecting antibodies into their bodies may slow the infection process.

(Photo: kcci.com)

On Sunday, biologists also plan to collect their breaths to better assess their health and see if the whales need support, but all of these options are removed after they have been Start moving back home.

The first two fish were discovered in freshwater on May 13, and attracted a lot of people to Sacramento Harbor before they swam to the Rio Vista River last week.