Orkney Islands: All 77 beached whales are dead
The Tresness Beach on the Isle of Sanday in Scotland is known as one of the most beautiful beaches. But now the sight is shocking. Seventy-seven stranded pilot whales lie in the sand. None of the animals can be saved.
None of the dozens of pilot whales that stranded on the Scottish Orkney Island of Sanday survived. Twelve animals had to be euthanized, as the organization British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) reported. Their condition had deteriorated due to the many hours they spent on land.
"They suffered crush injuries from their own weight, and there is a high likelihood that they inhaled water with the incoming tide," it was further stated. "The ground they lay on is also incredibly soft, which means they sank deeper into the sand than the tide covered them, so unfortunately they couldn't save themselves."
Transport by Tractor
A total of 77 pilot whales - also known as Grindwhales - had stranded on Sanday. Sixty-five were already dead when rescue teams arrived.
Animal welfare workers and medics now want to examine some of the animals. Emma Neave-Webb from BDMLR told the BBC it would be "an enormous undertaking involving multiple agencies" to recover the whales. Local farmers are ready to transport the deceased whales with tractors and trailers. Investigations are scheduled to begin today to find out "what on earth happened here," Neave-Webb said.
The stranded pilot whales are not just a local issue, as concerns about marine life have gone international. This massive stranding of Grindwhales is a tragic event for marine research communities worldwide. Despite efforts to save some of the animals, all 77 whales, including the 65 already deceased upon rescue teams' arrival, have unfortunately perished.
