A whale that is stranded and sick is set to leave this world a bang… of explosives that is.
The Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation have decided that the unusual step is necessary because the 9.5m aquatic mammal is too big to shoot.
When the time comes, an exclusion zone will be placed around the stricken creature – it is presently stranded on a sandbar in Albany’s Princess Royal Harbour (about 390km southeast of Perth, Western Australia). Sandbags will then be placed on the whale’s head and then, in the words of the eminently quotable Steve Jobs, BOOM!
The Original Exploding Beached Whale
Some years ago officials in Oregon tried to deal with a dead beached whale situation in a similar fashion. It didn’t exactly go according to plan… as the video below quite clearly shows.
Shaped charges. That’s the only way do do this with out a repeat of what happened in the video.
Seems like they’re not trying to blow it up, only to kill it with explosives this time because it’s too big to shoot. Legit.
Which is why I said shaped charges. I wonder if there’s an anitcholinase inhibitor that would work effectively on a whale?
err, I meant ‘anticholinase’.
Shaped charges. That’s the only way do do this with out a repeat of what happened in the video.
Seems like they’re not trying to blow it up, only to kill it with explosives this time because it’s too big to shoot. Legit.
Which is why I said shaped charges. I wonder if there’s an anitcholinase inhibitor that would work effectively on a whale?
err, I meant ‘anticholinase’.