Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
A recent investigation into the mass stranding of long-finned pilot whales in Lewis suggests that the event may have been initiated by complications experienced by a female whale during childbirth. This tragic incident resulted in the deaths of more than 50 whales in July 2023 at Tolsta Bay.
The report, compiled by the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS), highlighted that the whales involved were generally in good health. However, it identified that a mature female encountered difficulties giving birth, which is believed to have acted as a social trigger for the group’s movement into shallow waters. The experts concluded that the pod’s close social bonds likely caused the entire group to follow the distressed female, ultimately leading to their stranding.
Volunteers from British Divers Marine Life Rescue alongside other helpers made efforts to rescue some of the stranded whales. According to SMASS, the animals were unable to free themselves once beached due to a combination of factors, including onshore winds generating surf and the soft sandy conditions of the shore, which prevented them from refloating.
Long-finned pilot whales, classified as large dolphins, are known for their remarkably strong social connections. Whale and Dolphin Conservation emphasizes these bonds as a defining characteristic of the species, which likely contributed to the group’s unified movement during this unfortunate event
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.