A FINAL ACT OF LOVE
An unusual, horrible, yet at the same time wonderful and
touching, took place on the coast of Germany on January 11th — a love story of
gigantic proportions with a tragic ending. One of the characteristics of
whales, as we understand them, is that when a female and a male find each other
and mate, it is for life — forever together, perhaps even beyond this world as
it should be.
Off the coast of Norway, a female sperm whale had a freak
encounter with an old mine left over from World War II. She was badly hurt, her
lungs damaged, and she sought a sandy place to rest at least, if not to pass on
in peace. As she swam, her mate kept company with her, rather than continuing
on with the gam or herd on their annual migration.
No, he never left her, not for one moment and when his
mate beached herself, he too followed onto the shore beside her and although
uninjured, stayed by her side until he also passed on.
We know so little about whales or for that matter the
other “giants” that inhabit this world with us, the elephants. Who among us
knew or even imagined that these creatures were capable of such courage,
compassion and devotion to one another — yes, even love? Certainly not I,
although I am beginning to learn. And who among us, who regard our species as
the “masters of the world” are truly capable of a similar act?
