Whale strandings

RE: Whale strandings

Julian Earl — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 18:02:05 GMT

For many, many years I have supposedly been the vet to contact in the event of strandings but never got called. Now I can't work any more these six happen! I was to be contacted by the RSPCA but nothing happened. Not many people know this but my first job back in 1982 was to be working for the International Whaling Commission on Icelandic whaling vessels to scientifically assess the nature and extent of harpoon-damage causing death. The research was expected to prove that the hunting was inhumane. However it fell through an I decided that I did not want to waste the knowledge gained in the degree about usual veterinary matters. I still have all the related whale-paperwork from that time.

RE: Whale strandings

Nigel Davies — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 18:01:20 GMT

Speculation here:

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/25/uk-whale-strandings-why-did-they-happen

RE: Whale strandings

Anthony Dennison — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 17:26:56 GMT

There's a report on the BBC website about it with the theories behind. In total on the North Sea coast 29 whales have beached.

RE: Whale strandings

Hannah Wynne Richards — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 17:24:26 GMT

It's terribly sad

Wynne

RE: Whale strandings

Dagmar Steele — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 17:01:13 GMT

We've had even more here in Germany, all young bulls, apparently from the same pod. They can't survive in the north sea, it's too shallow and there's not enough food for them. When they stranded they all had very empty stomachs. Why they have taken the wrong turn into the north sea stays unknown at the moment, apparently strandings like this (up to 80 individuals) have been reported since 1600 or so. Of course there is a lot of speculation if any man made issues have contributed to it, but no theory has been proven to be valid so far. Very sad though, close to where I live 10 of them washed up and had to be dragged on land.