Exactly two years after Australia’s largest known mass stranding of pilot whales to date, countless marine mammals have washed up in the same bay again. The animals were spotted Wednesday in shallow Macquarie Bay in western Tasmania. Experts searched for an explanation.
According to local authorities, it was initially unclear how many whales there were and how many were still alive. However, experts assume that – just like two years ago – it could be pilot whales. “Until we know the species, it’s hard to figure out what could be causing the stranding,” Australia’s Guardian quoted Karen Stockin, a whale and dolphin beaching expert at Massey University in New York. -Zealand.
“But since it’s happening in Tasmania, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s pilot whales,” she says. A change in water temperature could be responsible, among other things, for the mass stranding caused by the climate phenomena La Niña and El Niño, Stockin explained. Then the animals often came closer than usual to the coast. Pilot whales are highly social creatures, “and if one is weakened or gets too close to shore, hundreds may follow,” the researcher said.
By the end of September 2020, hundreds of whales were stranded in the same region. In total, about 470 pilot whales got lost in the remote bay at the time. It was the largest known mass stranding in the history of the fifth continent. Only 111 of the marine mammals could be rescued in a costly rescue operation.
Dozens of dead sperm whales discovered
More than a dozen dead sperm whales were discovered on an island north of Tasmania on Monday (see video below). The 14 bodies were found off the coast of King Island, between Tasmania and mainland Australia. Marine biologists and veterinarians should investigate the circumstances of the death.
Pilot whales take off more often than other species
Pilot whales strand more often than other species of the sea giants because they migrate in large numbers, the AAP news agency quoted marine biologist Olaf Meynecke of Griffith University in Queensland as saying. When one whale runs aground, the others usually follow. “They don’t do it because they’re stupid, but because of their emotional connection to the other animals.”
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
