The sheer size of whales is one reason why it’s so hard to help them without further distressing them. Smaller cetaceans like dolphins and porpoises may be carried back to the water for refloating, experts say, but the process is much more difficult for whales. “They [typically] cannot be moved in a way that is both safe for humans and doesn’t cause the whale undue stress or risk injury,” says Arrow. “A humpback whale can reach up to 40,000kg [88,000lb], and blue whales 140,000kg (309,000lb).” That’s the equivalent of 30 African elephants. A stranded whale with a 7.5-metre-long tail could unintentionally kill you if you were standing near it as it swooshed back and forth.
