Of the nine whales that were stranded, seven made it to safety. Unfortunately, two did not survive.

“We congratulate the residents of Murdeira Bay for this excellent conservation rapid response,” said Ricardo Monteiro, Programme Officer at WWF’s office in Cape Verde.

"For the first time residents, developers, construction workers and conservationists really worked together for a common conservation cause."

The melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra) — closely related to pilot whales and pygmy killer whales — is widespread throughout the world's tropical and sub-tropical waters, although not often seen by humans on account of its preference for deep water. The whale mostly feeds on small fishes and squids, which are abundant in Murdeira Bay.

The bay is also temporary heaven for humpback whales (Megaptera novaeanglie), which come to nurse their calves between September and April each year.

This is not the first time melon-headed strandings have been reported in Cape Verde, an archipelago consisting of nine islands some 500km off the coast of West Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. In 2003, there was a mass stranding on Santa Luzia Island where more than 100 individuals died.

“Last year in Santo Antão Island, there were also reports of 9 whales stranded at Sinagoga,” added Vanda Monteiro of Cape Verde’s Fisheries Development Institute. “This is the second stranding in less than a year in Cape Verde.”

The first stranding took place at Laginha beach on São Vicente Island last April. Beach goers and government officials were able to guide them out to sea with no casualties reported.

“Local people are in the front line of conservation and should be relied upon for such great conservation deeds,” said Celeste Benchimol, WWF’s Project coordinator in Cape Verde.

In Cape Verde, WWF is managing a marine and coastal conservation project with a view to helping to secure healthy habitats for whales and other species. Specific efforts are currently being put into the creation of two Marine Protected Areas — one at Santa Luzia and another at Murdeira Bay.

"The project is at the early stages of a biodiversity inventory, which will provide park managers and local communities with the right tools to better manage their parks," added Benchimol.

END NOTES:

• WWF's Western African Marine Ecoregion (WAMER) programme covers the Cape Verde Islands, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Senegal. One of WWF's objective in this area is to improve the conservation status of marine turtles in West Africa by preserving marine turtle hotspots, improving knowledge on marine turtles species, and stengthening sub-regional collaboration.