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A gaggle of 55 pilot whales have died after washing up on a seashore in Scotland
This handout picture printed by British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) exhibits pilot whales in North Tolsta, on the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, Sunday, July 16, 2023. A gaggle of 55 pilot whales have died after washing up on a seashore in Scotland within the space’s worst mass whale stranding, marine consultants stated Monday. Rescuers from the ocean, coastguard and police had been referred to as to Traigh Mhor seashore on the Isle of Lewis in northwest Scotland after receiving experiences that dozens of mammals had been in hassle there early Sunday. (Mairi Robertson-Carrey/BDMLR by way of AP)
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LONDON — A gaggle of 55 pilot whales have died after washing up on a seashore in Scotland within the space’s worst mass whale stranding, marine consultants stated Monday.
Rescuers from the ocean, coastguard and police had been referred to as to Traigh Mhor seashore on the Isle of Lewis in northwest Scotland after receiving experiences that dozens of mammals had been in hassle there early Sunday.
The British Divers Marine Life Rescue discovered that solely 15 of the whales – a mixture of adults and calves – had been nonetheless alive, and tried to drift two of the extra lively animals that had been low within the water.
However by Sunday afternoon, after taking into consideration the shallow seashore, tough wave circumstances and the way lengthy the whales had been out of the water, rescue groups determined that the remaining whales must be euthanized for welfare causes.
The charity stated the whole group could have adopted a feminine whale to the seashore when she was having hassle giving delivery.
“Pilot whales are infamous for his or her sturdy social bonds, so typically when one whale will get into hassle and strands, the remainder comply with swimsuit,” it stated in a press release. “A tragic consequence for this pod and clearly not the consequence we had been all hoping for.”
Specialists will start autopsy examinations on Monday to find out what brought on the whales’ deaths.
Andrew Brownlow, from the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme, stated this is able to be a “monumental job”.
“While you take a look at the variety of animals injured, that is the very best quantity we have had,” he informed the BBC.
Specialists will take samples and information from among the whales, and the our bodies will likely be taken to a landfill and buried after the post-mortem is full, he added.
