July 25, 2026, 8:43 p.mJuly 25, 2026, 8:43 p.m
In Argentina, a large sei whale stranded on a sandbank in the Río de la Plata River. In a difficult operation, rescue teams are trying to free the animal off the coast of San Fernando, a suburb north of the capital Buenos Aires, according to the Temaikén Nature Conservation Foundation.
Desplegaron an operativo en San Isidro to rescatar a una ballena that quedó encallada en el Río de la Plata. Fundación Temaikèn works together with the Prefectura Naval. The storage of the land is fundamental for the animal to be liberated. pic.twitter.com/vZCn4y1iKe
— Hechos y Derecho (@Hechosanderecho) July 25, 2026
The situation is “critical”. It was said that the whale was carrying its entire weight on its belly, which was affecting the function of its organs. The area is also characterized by large tidal fluctuations and numerous sandbanks.
The teams plan to use the rising water level to free the animal and guide it to deeper areas from where it can return to the sea. They keep the whale’s skin moist to reduce stress.
Seasonal migration in the Atlantic off Argentina
The whale (Balaenoptera borealis) was spotted for the first time on Friday (local time). During the southern winter, sei whales migrate seasonally northward off Argentina’s Atlantic coast. It is therefore common to see them between Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil near the mouth of the Río de la Plata, said Temaikén.
However, the stranded sei whale may have lost its orientation. “It is likely that due to a combination of environmental factors or a health issue, this animal became disoriented, made its way upstream and eventually became stranded on a sandbar,” the foundation said. (sda/dpa)