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Strandings/Rescue News
Rescued Dolphins Swimming off Coast of Maine
(Added: 29 January 2012)
Satellite tracking data suggests the majority of dolphins rescued during recent mass strandings off Cape Cod have survived their ordeal. Rescuers placed temporary satellite tracking tags on six of the twenty four animals rescued and released since January 12. Daily reports show some of these satellite tagged animals have travelled over 190 miles and appear to be utilising known offshore habitats for this species. To ensure animals are not harmed, all satellite tags are designed to drop off after a few weeks. All released dolphins have small, minimally invasive tags attached so they can be identified if located in the future.
Cause of whale deaths unknown
(Added: 22 January 2012)
The exact cause of the death of four Gray's Beaked whales at Papamoa Beach, New zealand remains unknown. Department of Conservation staff are collecting samples to investigate whether the ingestion of oil, toxins and foreign objects from the Rena wreck at Astrolabe Reef could have been a factor in the whale stranding and subsequent death.
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Dolphin strandings one of Cape's 'largest'
(Added: 15 January 2012)
Rescuers spent hours recently saving some dolphins which stranded on Cape Cod, USA and been described as one of the largest dolphin strandings in the area ever.30 dolphins stranded and rescuers were able to refloat 11 dolphins,many were already dead when found and eight were inaccessible to rescue teams because of the tide. Cape Cod is one of the world's hot spots for strandings - the reason why these animals end up stranded remains elusive.
Results of Kent stranding
(Added: 08 January 2012)
The minke whale found on a Kent beach last year (UK) died from a combination of dehydration, starvation and parasitic infestation in its intestines. How the mammal came to be so far south is now also being analysed to see if there were any underlying problems. Most minke whale strandings ocurr in Scotland and this whale may be from the north sea population. It possibly stranded while alive.
Whales strand in New Zealand
(Added: 08 January 2012)
On Friday 6 January, seven long finned pilot whales have died after being beached in New Zealand.
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Increase in Irish strandings
(Added: 05 January 2012)
Figures show that there has been a big increase in Irish strandings of whales and dolphins compared to previous years.
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Sperm whale washes up on East Anglian beach
(Added: 28 December 2011)
A 40ft sperm whale recently washed up dead on an East Anglian beach, with what appeared to be a large gash in its stomach.
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Strandings around UK shores
(Added: 15 December 2011)
According to a new study over 3,400 whales, dolphins and porpoises have beached on UK shores over the past six years.
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Beaked whale strandings
(Added: 04 December 2011)
Marine Connection recently received the news of three Cuvier's beaked whale strandings in the Ionian Sea, an oil research vessel was reported to be in the area at the time. Rescuers reported hearing whistles from the individual animals which stranded live and atypically in west Corfu, along 23km of coast. All whales were returned to the sea but two later died, the third was not sighted again. No necropsies were carried out on the two dead whales but hours later near the Capo Rizzuto MPA, Ionian coast of Calabria, two more beaked whales were found, approx 100 nautical miles west from Corfu - an adult female and her calf. The mother died and further information is being sought about the calf.
Unusual Massachusetts strandings
(Added: 16 October 2011)
Two separate whale strandings in Massachusetts recently have been linked by unusual species identification.
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Short finned pilot whale shot
(Added: 06 October 2011)
Rescuers knew something was seriously wrong with a short-finned pilot whale when it beached itself along the New Jersey shore.
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Pilot whale headed for SeaWorld
(Added: 28 August 2011)
The last pilot whale remaining in the Florida Keys since a mass stranding nearly four months ago is to be transferred to SeaWorld of Orlando, the company recently received approval to provide a permanent home for the whale – apparently deemed non-releasable.
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Whale dies in river
(Added: 18 August 2011)
A female Pacific gray whale which entered Northern California's Klamath River for unknown reasons, has died after beaching itself twice on a sand bar.
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Sad ending for young whale
(Added: 10 August 2011)
Further to our initial report (below) sadly things have not turned out as hoped for this young whale.
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Hope for a young whale
(Added: 09 August 2011)
There are hopes and optimism that a baby humpback whale rescued in a marathon operation on the Gold Coast Australia recently has survived and been reunited with his mother.
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Pilot whale stranding investigation
(Added: 01 August 2011)
The Scottish Agricultural College led Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme is continuing to investigate the cause of what is believed to have been Scotland’s largest ever stranding of pilot whales - in the Kyle of Durness.
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Whale likely heading to SeaWorld
(Added: 30 June 2011)
Many weeks after reporting about a mass standing of pilot whales in the Lower Keys, Marine Connection has heard that there is the possibility the future of the healthiest survivor will be made in the near future and it may not be good news.
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Third whale euthanised after Keys stranding
(Added: 20 June 2011)
A third pilot whale has now been euthanised, more than a month after it and a group of others stranded off the Florida Keys. The female calf was not responding to treatment for failing kidneys and had been in critical condition since washing ashore in early May 5. Officials decided to relieve the whale of further suffering, one of the other whales remains in critical condition and a further one remains in a stable condition. A necropsy is planned on the recent whale.
Stranded whales released
(Added: 08 May 2011)
Two of the many pilot whales found stranded recently in the Florida Keys have been released. Twenty pilot whales beached themselves in shallow water off Cudjoe Key, about 20 miles east of Key West. Seven survived.
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Blue whale may have starved to death
(Added: 03 May 2011)
A blue whale that washed ashore near Whanganui, New Zealand appears to have starved to death at sea, possibly from choking on netting.
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Whale likely died of starvation
(Added: 22 April 2011)
A gray whale found on a remote beach in southwest Whidbey Island, Washington recently likely died of starvation, local whale experts say. The exact location of the whale remains confidential so people won’t be tempted to take whale parts as souvenirs, which is a violation of federal law.
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Bottlenose dolphin washes ashore in Iceland
(Added: 14 April 2011)
A bottlenose dolphin has washed ashore at Vikurfjara in Iceland and what makes this unusual is that this particular species is a very rare visitor to Iceland. It is likely the dolphin died relatively nearby, given its condition. Since regular whale and dolphin counts began around Iceland in 1987, the bottlenose has only been spotted three times for certain, the Icelandic Marine Research Institute has frozen the dolphin carcass and will research it in co-operation with the natural history institute.
Melon-headed whales stranded on Ibaraki shore
(Added: 07 March 2011)
Approx 50 melon-headed whales beached themselves on the shore in Kashima, Ibaraki Prefecture, in eastern Japan recently, with 22 being returned to the sea by authorities and local volunteers. It took eight hours to return the surviving whales, the remaining animals were buried nearby. These particular whales are commonly seen offshore around the area in the early spring.
Unusual whale found in Philippines
(Added: 28 February 2011)
A beaked whale that died when it beached in Subic, Zambales, last April (2010) belonged to a species that is not yet on the Philippine list of cetaceans.
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Further pilot whale stranding
(Added: 21 February 2011)
All members of a pod of 107 pilot whales that stranded on a remote New Zealand beach recently died, including 48 that had to be euthanised.
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Pilot whales die in New Zealand stranding
(Added: 20 January 2011)
All 24 pilot whales that stranded 21 January died after becoming trapped in shallow water and mud in Parengarenga Harbour on northern North Island. The mammals had been stranded for some time and 10 survivors were in poor shape so had to be were euthanised. Poor weather and a long wait for high tide meant there was almost no chance of them being refloated successfully.
Four whales die in New Zealand stranding
(Added: 15 January 2011)
Four adult Gray's beaked whales have died after beaching themselves at Port Waikato, NZ but Conservation Department staff successfully refloated a fifth, believed to be a juvenile. It's not known if it was an entire pod that had beached but these particular whales which grow up to 5.7m long regularly stranded around New Zealand.
Tasmania - first response rescue training
(Added: 10 January 2011)
The Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service are to run a free first response whale and dolphin rescue training course.
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