Boy Hugs Stranded Whale As Rescuers Work To Save Her Family

Nature, at times, can seem unpredictably cruel, acting without discernible reason or purpose. But even in the midst of the most inexplicable tragedy, human compassion can be seen so clearly.

Earlier this week, more than two dozen short-finned pilot whales became stranded in shallow water along the coast of East Java, in Indonesia. Rather than stand by and watch as the animals perished, however, folks living in the area rushed in to help as many as they could.

Among them was a boy. Lacking the strength to move one helpless animal back toward deeper waters, he chose instead to simply offer her a comforting embrace.

Reuters

According to the Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN), which helped facilitate the rescue, 30 pilot whales in total were stranded. But thanks to the collective efforts of volunteers, 20 were safely returned to deeper waters. The remaining 10, sadly, did not make it.

It's not yet known why the whales ventured so perilously close to shore, but experts believe they may have been swept inland by a strong tide while in pursuit of food.