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.

35 animals stranded late July but it was believed the group was originally much larger. Some whales were refloated but unfortunately others died, a post mortem showed one of the large males had some evidence of septic arthritis in one shoulder but there was no physiological reason for the pilot whales coming ashore. They had little food in their stomachs which suggests they were close to the shore, and therefore not feeding for 36-48 hours before becoming stranded. Pilot whales prefer deep water but come inshore to feed on squid, their main food.

It is rumoured the detonation of two RAF bombs may have led to the deaths of the whales. The Royal Navy confirmed a team of divers at the Cape Wrath bombing range in Scotland did detonate two unexploded bombs left behind following an RAF training exercise. One bomb was 540lb in size and the other 250lb. At the moment these rumours are sheer speculation but hopefully time will tell.