Rescue operation in the Río de la Plata: a sei whale stranded off San Isidro

A sei whale about seven meters long was found alive after being stranded on the shores of San Isidro, near the Pasaje del Sueco and the Río de la Plata.

After the alert, personnel from the San Isidro Coast Guard mobilized boats and called in specialists from the Temaikèn and Cethus foundations to assist the animal and achieve its return to deep waters.

A team led by Temaikèn coordinator, José Luis Torres, assessed the cetacean’s health condition and executed the release maneuvers. The tasks largely depended on the tide behavior, taking advantage of the rising water level to facilitate the specimen’s re-entry into the river without causing additional complications.

An exceptional finding

The presence of a sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) in this area is unusual, as it normally inhabits deep oceanic waters. This species represents the third largest cetacean in the world (surpassed only by the blue whale and the fin whale), reaching over 18 meters in adulthood and feeding on krill and small fish.

Specialists point out that these exceptional strandings on the Buenos Aires coast are often due to factors such as disorientation, changes in marine currents, diseases or search for food. In recent years, the increase in these incidents has led to joint operations between the Coast Guard, scientists, and experts in marine fauna.