It can seem like the news is constantly flooded with negative stories of people doing ridiculous things involving wild animals. We’ve recently seen a group of tourists effectively stop endangered turtles from laying eggs because they wanted to pose for photos and a guy who chose to take selfies with a stranded shark instead of helping get it back to sea. Given these examples, it can be easy to lose faith in humanity and want to just crawl into a hole and never come out. But, don’t fear Green Monsters, because for every WTH moment people have with animals, there are also a lot of really amazing ones as well.

There is nothing that we love more than a story featuring people coming to the aid of animals in need – and this is certainly one of those. Recently, a 50-foot whale was discovered stranded on the shore of Dien Chau District, Nghe An Province, Vietnam. After a local fisherman spotted the creature it wasn’t long before a group of local residents rallied together to help the struggling animal.


Despite the size and enormous weight of the whale, the group remained diligent in trying to get it back to sea. Eventually, locals called in the help of two excavators to aid in rescue efforts.

Pham Thi Hoe, a local resident, explained to Tuoi Tre News that whales are considered the “king of the ocean” and “it is believed that fortune will arrive when one sees such a creature.”

Recognizing the respect and care that the whale deserved in this situation, the group managed to usher the giant marine mammal back to its rightful home after working for seven hours. Once back in deep water, officials continued to monitor the whale’s activity.


According to reports, seven such whales have been found stranded on this beach in the past few months, but this was the only one who was still alive on land. We could all stand to follow the example set but these incredible people who went so far out of the way to make sure this whale was saved.

Remember, if you ever come across a marine animal in distress, it is best practice to contact a professional before attempting to rescue or help the animals. Click here for a list of hotlines you can call in case of an emergency.


All image source: Tuoi Tre News

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