They pulled the animal from the beach into shallow water and stayed with it while county lifeguards patrolled in personal watercraft to ward off any sharks that may have been attracted by blood in the water. Eventually, a state Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement officer arrived and others joined in the rescue, with help from divers, lifeguards and personnel with state and federal agencies. Wildlife officials said superficial wounds on the whale appeared to have been caused by a shark or from an injury during the stranding. The Maui event was reminiscent of a stranding in Lahaina three years ago. A rarely seen pygmy sperm whale was rescued from the shore, spent the night at the Maui Ocean Center and was released in the channel the next morning.
Officials believe that animal survived.
Bernard, a former National Marine Fisheries Service scientist and stranding network coordinator in San Diego, organized a team of volunteers to watch over the whales on both occasions. The Honolulu Advertiser, a division of Gannett Co .