Exactly two years after Australia’s largest known mass stranding of pilot whales to date, hundreds of marine mammals have washed up in the same bay again. A total of about 230 animals were spotted in shallow Macquarie Bay in western Tasmania on Wednesday. About half are – still – alive.
“Pilot whales are known for being mass stranders,” explains Karen Stockin, a whale and dolphin stranding expert at Massey University in New Zealand. This is mainly because the peaceful giants develop a very close bond with each other. If a single animal is sick, injured or weak and stranded as a result, hundreds could follow, the expert explains. “They don’t do it because they are stupid, but because of their emotional connection with the other animals,” marine biologist Olaf Meynecke agrees.
To this day, nearly two years ago, hundreds of whales stranded in the same region. At that time, 470 pilot whales got lost in the secluded bay. Only 111 animals could be saved during a costly rescue operation.
In addition, more than a dozen dead sperm whales were discovered on an island north of Tasmania on Monday. The 14 bodies were found on the coast of King Island between Tasmania and mainland Australia. However, Stockin sees no direct connection between the phenomena: “These were sperm whales, which are usually loners.” Still, it’s interesting that the two strandings happened so quickly after each other.
Surreal Scenes
Helpers spoke of “surreal scenes”. They tried to protect the animals with special blankets. The Australian Guardian quoted a man who had already helped with the whale operation in 2020 as saying the largest specimens weighed two to three tons.
Authorities urged citizens to stay away from the site. Anyone not officially invited to assist in the rescue efforts is not allowed to come: “Having extra people can really hinder the rescue effort.”
But what could have prompted the animals to swim so close to shore? Stockin cites a possible misnavigation by the leader of the group as the cause – or a change in water temperature caused by the climate phenomena La Niña and El Niño. This can cause changes in the currents, which in turn lead to a change in prey behavior – thus driving the whales to shallower waters.
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.
