Rescue & Strandings News Archive 2007

Rescued dolphin dies
(Added: 19 July 2007)
An injured adult dolphin discovered on an Almería beach on 18 July has died. The animal seemed exhausted, was bleeding from several places and had parasites on one of its fins and blow-hole. Since the start of this year, a total of sixty dolphins have washed up on Almería's beaches, compared to 57 during the whole of 2006.

Extreme heat poses threat to dolphin population
(Added: 17 July 2007)
A dead dolphin washed ashore on 15 July is the third to succumb to the summer’s scorching heat in the Indian River Lagoon, in the last two weeks one dolphin was found dead in the water near Patrick Air Force Base and another near Rockledge.
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Mystery strandings continue
(Added: 17 July 2007)
Rescuers struggled to return a stranded dolphin to the sea near Portstewart, Co Derry recently in the latest in a spate of strandings around that coastline. Their efforts to refloat the female Atlantic white-sided dolphin proved to be in vain as she became lethargic and washed back onto the shore, dying shortly afterwards. It was an adult female and may have been a mother as she was lactating. Another dolphin beached at nearby Benone Strand and two other small cetaceans also stranded at beaches in Donegal - one of them believed to be another Atlantic white-sided dolphin.

Beaked whales found dead
(Added: 10 July 2007)
Two rare "True Beaked" whales were found dead, 8 July on a beach close to Buffels Bay , near Knysa , South Africa . One of the whales was an adult lactating female, measuring 4.6 metres in length with a fractured jaw. The second whale also female but a sub adult. Tests would show whether the adult whale had been pregnant. These animals are the rarest whale species.

Dolphins wash ashore in Phuket
(Added: 02 July 2007)
On Sunday 1 July a female spinner dolphin washed ashore at Karon Beach, Phuket.
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Officers train for whale migration
(Added: 24 May 2007)
Preparations have been stepped up for this year's Australian whale migration season with the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries officers undertaking pre-season training in marine animal release techniques at Rainbow Beach, Queensland. It is estimated that over 7000 whales undertake the annual east coast migration as they head north to calve in the northern waters. Some of the animals become entangled in shark control equipment.
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Scientists probe second whale death
(Added: 21 May 2007)
Government scientists have headed for Nootka Sound off Vancouver Island to perform a post mortem on a dead orca - the second large whale to die in British Columbia waters over a seven day period. A dead grey whale also washed up in Boundary Bay, south of Vancouver - the third grey to wash up in local waters since 1999. Post-mortem examinations will be performed on both carcasses. The orca is believed to be a sub-adult.

Scientists probe second whale death
(Added: 21 May 2007)
Government scientists have headed for Nootka Sound off Vancouver Island to perform a post mortem on a dead orca - the second large whale to die in British Columbia waters over a seven day period. A dead grey whale also washed up in Boundary Bay, south of Vancouver - the third grey to wash up in local waters since 1999. Post-mortem examinations will be performed on both carcasses. The orca is believed to be a sub-adult.

Young whale calf found dead
(Added: 09 May 2007)
A baby Melon head whale has been found dead on Marcoola Beach, Queensland, Australia. Wildlife workers collected the carcass but are yet to determine what caused the whale’s death. It’s believed the calf had died only a short time before it was found. Cuts were found on the side of the whale and scientists have sent samples to the University of the Sunshine Coast. Whales are usually spotted migrating along the Queensland Coast between June and July, but experts have noticed an early start to this year’s migration.

Dead gray whale had severe lung infection
(Added: 03 May 2007)
An emaciated gray whale that washed up dead recently had a massive infection in its right lung. It was a young female, approx 3 years old – the very same animal that had been spotted and photographed in Elliott Bay and in a waterway at the Port of Seattle at the end of April. She also had an injury on her fluke and healed scars, possibly from a killer whale attack, but they weren’t too serious. Thousands of gray whales are migrating back to their feeding grounds off Alaska after spending their winter near Baja California in Mexico.

Pygmy sperm whale found dead
(Added:- 27 April 2007)
Marine biologists are investigating the death of a pygmy sperm whale that recently washed ashore at Kalama Park, Honululu.
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Beached whale put down
(Added:- 24 April 2007)
A beaked whale was euthanased today (April 24) after it beached itself three times on Sydney's southern coastline, near Bundeena, in the Royal National Park. Found mainly in deep waters, beyond the continental shelf the animal had distinctive small bites from cookiecutter sharks as well as injuries possibly incurred during its beaching attempts. An autopsy will be carried out to determine the cause of death.

Second humpback whale found dead
(Added:- 18 April 2007)
A baby humpback whale has washed up dead on a Ventura beach, northwest of Los Angeles. The cause of death is not known yet but a team of experts from the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History will examine the animal. A male sperm whale was also found dead earlier this month in the same area.

Investigations into US strandings
(Added:- 26 March 2007)
16 years ago under the auspices of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) a working group was formed to specifically focus on marine mammal unusual mortality events around the US coastline.
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Pilot whales die on Galapagos
(Added:- 20 March 2007)
Seven pilot whales that came ashore on the Galapagos Islands has died despite the efforts of rescuers who dug makeshift pools in the sand to keep them from dehydrating. Five other whales in the group were returned to the ocean. The Galapagos Islands, 625 miles off Ecuador‘s coast, were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 for their exotic flora and fauna, including giant tortoises, marine iguanas and blue-footed boobies.

New rescue method for large whales
(Added:- 19 March 2007)
Australia's southern island of Tasmania, which sees more mass whale strandings than anywhere else in the world, has developed the first technique to successfully rescue giant sperm whales.
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Newborns amongst dead dolphins
(Added:- 13 March 2007)
Colder water from the winter months could have contributed to the deaths of more than 25 dolphins that washed ashore on the Texas coast over the last two weeks. Some of the animals were very young with umbilical cords still attached and apparently were either stillborn or separated from other dolphins just after birth. Strandings are fairly common from January through March around this area but the dolphins that washed up on shore probably took ill in reaction to colder water from the winter months.

Whale freed from mass stranding
(Added:- 09 March 2007)
A sperm whale has been freed from a mass stranding on Tasmania's west coast. The whale was guided to deeper water earlier today (Friday March 9) leaving seven more animals to rescue. It is hoped the whale's calls will now lead the rest out of the harbour, but several of them are still stuck in the shallows and a few remain aground. Two more died overnight and autopsies are being completed on the four whales which have died so far.

Pygmy sperm whale stranding
(Added:- 1 March 2007)
Despite efforts to save it, a rare Pygmy sperm whale has died after being stranded in a Yangtze estuary. The 2.7 metre long whale had suffered multiple lacerations and scientists discovered that it was also pregnant. There has never been a sighting of a pygmy sperm whale near Shanghai and Zhong Junsheng, a professor at the Shanghai Fisheries University thinks the animal may have been hit by a boat. Pygmy sperm whales are found throughout the temperate and tropic zones both in the open ocean and near the continental shelf. In China, they usually live in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.

Hearing tests confirm dolphin release candidate is deaf
(Added:- 22 February 2007)
David Mann, an assistant professor with University of South Florida who specializes in auditory systems of fish and marine mammals, conducted a hearing test on 19 February on the pregnant, bottlenose dolphin that stranded in November and which we have reported on below. "As far as we can tell, she's deaf," said Robert Lingenfelser, the president of the Marine Mammal Conservancy in Key Largo, where Castaway currently is held. Once the official report is released, it will be determined where the dolphin will stay and whether she will have her calf at the small Keys facility. If the dolphin is considered non-releasable by federal officials, the dolphin may be taken to a public display facility before she gives birth.

Still a chance to release dolphin?
(Added:- 6 February 2007)
The pregnant dolphin whose release was attempted on 30 January, as reported below on 31 January, may have another chance. It has been reported that she may have reacted to the medication used to reverse the effects of a calming medication used during the early morning drive from Sarasota. If the animal and her calf remain healthy, there will be an application for a federal permit to try to release her again into the Atlantic Ocean off the Florida Keys. The goal for the dolphin, is to let her have her calf out of captivity, so her baby can learn the early survival lessons necessary to live in the wild. The scientists have stated that "If she gives birth here, the calf will have to stay here". However, it has also been reported today that there is a chance the dolphin may be deaf which has removed her navigation capabilities. If this is the case, the dolphin and its calf will not be released.

Cuvier's beaked whale stranding
(Added:- 6 February 2007)
A rare 20ft Cuvier's beaked whale has been found dead on an Orkney beach, Scotland. Samples taken from the adult male will help scientists discover more about this rarely seen species. Cuvier's beaked whales are normally found in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. The animal washed up in Orkney is only the fifth to be found in the islands since 1920. A bone sample taken from one of the whale's flippers will be examined first at an Edinburgh museum and then in Australia, where scientists are keen to study the DNA it contains.

Stranded dolphin release unsuccessful
(Added:- 31 January 2007)
On 30 January marine mammal specialists attempted to release a pregnant, 10 foot bottlenose dolphin found stranded at Vero Beach, Florida 3 months ago. Sadly, three attempts to release the dolphin were unsuccessful. Scientists and volunteers first attempted to release the dolphin from the beach near where she was originally found, later taking her about a quarter-mile off shore on a boat and finally releasing her near a group of dolphins. However, these attempts were scuppered when the animal kept swimming back into shallow water. The decision was then taken to place the dolphin in a large sea pen in Key Largo until her calf is born. After the birth, National Marine Fisheries Service will decide whether she and her calf should get released into the ocean.

Beaked whale stranding
(Added:- 24 January 2007)
The carcass of a beaked whale at Morgan's Bay, South Africa may hold the key to unlocking new information about this specific species. The animal died on January 21 after an attempt to refloat it. Scientists removed its stomach contents and reproductive organs. They also took photographs to determine the type of beaked whale the female belonged to as these whales are very rare in South Africa. The animal was buried and scientists will return at a later stage for the skeleton.

Dolphin Stranding Mystery
(Added:- 12 January 2007)
Scientists are struggling to explain the stranding of 31 dolphins and a pilot whale off the coast of Massachusetts, since the start of the year. Some animals have been found with brain deformities or chronic diseases. The number is unusually high as the Cape Cod Stranding Network that oversees rescue efforts in the area averages 200 rescues a year, compared to 31 rescues performed within 10 days alone. Quite a few of the animals have died.

Rare dolphin is washed up in UK cove
(Added:- 21 December 2006)
A bottlenose dolphin, a species rarely seen off Cornwall, has been washed up on the county's north coast. The 3m (9.8ft) 200kg (440lb) mammal was found in a small cove to the west of Porthtowan beach on Tuesday afternoon. The Marine Strandings Network in the county said the loss was very serious, as there are thought to be as few as 12 of the creatures in South West waters. The carcass has been taken to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency at Polwhele, near Truro, for an autopsy. The mammal is the sixth dead bottlenose dolphin to be recorded in Cornwall in the past five years. Members of the Cornwall Wildlife Trust examined the animal on the beach but could not find any obvious external injuries to indicate cause of death. It did not appear to have been caught in nets, but it was covered in tooth marks from other bottlenose dolphins, which can often be a sign of aggression, the trust said. (Source: BBC)

Update on Tasmania's whales
(Added: 6 December 2006)
Marine conservation officers on Tasmania's west coast have put down a whale that stranded itself again today. The juvenile male was one of only three survivors from last week's mass stranding of long-finned pilot whales at Ocean Beach see below. Its condition deteriorated and the decision was made to put it down. There has been no sign of the two other survivors that were last seen swimming strongly in deeper water.

Mission to save stranded whales
(Added: 1 December 2006)
Fifteen pilot whales are dead and rescuers are attempting to save 12 more in a mass stranding in North Western Tasmania, the animals were found on a 150 metre stretch at ocean beach. The incident happened today December 1. Parks And Wildlife service staff are on site with the priority being to stabilise the animals that are still alive. However a lot will depend on weather conditions as conditions on the beach have deteriorated during the night and are not currently suitable for refloating the pod. More than 70 pilot whales died in the last mass stranding at Marion Bay in Southern Tasmania in October 2005. Another pod stranded on King Island and Maria Island in Bass Strait in 2004. There are no signs of any other whales in the area.

Rare dolphin found dead
(Added: 24 November 2006)
The carcass of a pregnant Irrawaddy dolphin has washed ashore on Naresuan Beach in Ban Pruenoi, Thailand. The dolphin was in the final stage of its pregnancy. Traces of friction burns from a rope, which caused some wounds, were found on the dolphin's tail and left fin. The carcass was taken to the research centre's lab in Chumphon for examination. The Irrawaddy dolphin is an endangered species protected by the United Nations Convention on Trade in Endangered Species.

Whale found on UK beach
(Added: 16 November 2006)
A 50 ft fin whale has washed up dead on a Sussex beach - November 16. It was lying on its side and looked as if it had been dead for some time. The whale was missing part of its lower jaw and had sustained some injuries, possibly from a ship propeller. However samples are being sent to the Natural History Museum in London to help determine the cause of death. Members of the public are being asked not to go to the scene.
Click here for images

Queensland 2005 marine strandings report
(Added: 14 November 2006)
There were 70 reports of marine strandings in Queensland, Australia in 2005 - the worst year on record. 43% of these were caused by shark nets which accounted for 6 whales, 5 of which were freed and 23 dolphins, of which 21 died in the nets. Most strandings occurred in southern Queensland.
Read full strandings report

Atlantic white-sided dolphin stranding
(Added: 14 November 2006)
An Atlantic white-sided dolphin was recently washed up on a UK beach, believed to be the first one found on the Norfolk coastline. Its natural habitat would be the deep waters of the North Atlantic and the animal was thought to be in good body condition. More details may be discovered why the dolphin came ashore once the autopsy has been carried out.

Young pilot whale euthanised
(Added: 10 November 2006)
A young pilot whale separated from a re-floated pod which stranded in Northland, New Zealand today, Friday 10 November, has been euthanised. Nearly 80 of the whales stranded near the Marsden Point oil refinery and 37 died before they could be refloated.
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Dolphins die in Mozambique beaching
(Added: 31 October 2006)
Dozens of bottlenose dolphins have died after beaching themselves on a remote Mozambique coastline. Witnesses said 47 dolphins came onshore on Bazaruto Island off mainland Mozambique on Saturday, 28 October. Rescuers managed to return six of them to the water. There were no markings on the dolphins, no signs of disease, and no signs of fishing net marks. About 21 whales and dolphins have been reported to have beached themselves this year in South Africa.