Source link : https://london-news.net/headline-a-whale-of-a-rescue-how-one-stranded-marine-mammal-united-millions-in-a-historic-thames-endeavor/
Mark Stevens has dedicated years to saving stranded whales, dolphins, and other large marine mammals across the waters of the British Isles. However, a particular incident from two decades ago still vividly resonates with him.
“We had no concept of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) at the time, but eventually we understood that’s what we were dealing with,” he reflects.
On January 19, 2006, a striking photograph emerged showing a massive whale swimming in the River Thames alongside the Houses of Parliament.
Stevens recounts that those involved with British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) had heard rumors of a whale in the river earlier that week, but the image confirmed it was a northern bottlenose, a deep-diving species typically found in the North Atlantic.
As a science teacher, he was working that day when he received an urgent call to go to central London.
“I informed my head teacher that I was off to London to save a whale, and that she could fire me on Monday… Thankfully, she didn’t,” he notes.
With more sightings reported throughout the day, anticipation was rising, and the next morning, Stevens found himself on Breakfast television as the situation garnered attention.
Later that morning, he boarded a boat near Albert Bridge where the whale had been spotted, and a rescue plan was formulated.
Thousands of onlookers filled the riverbanks and bridges, eager to catch a glimpse of the 19-foot (5.85m) whale, while their team faced the press and…
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Author : rimmaruslan98@gmail.com
Publish date : 2026-01-24 12:55:00
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