Pilot whales can be seen stranded on an Orkney beach after their beached themselves for currently unknown reasons in one of the largest ever mass trandings.
Twelve survived the initial stranding but were killed after rescue attempts failed. READ MORE: Why doIt's a tragic and 'heartbreaking' sight – 77 dead whales lined up on the shore at a beach in Orkney.
Read More Fears orcas may have caused stranding that left 77 pilot whales dead According to experts, the 77 whales are long-finned pilot whales , a species found throughout the North Atlantic. ' may then get caught out by these physical anomalies when they find themselves too close to shore,' Dr Robinson added.The mass beaching includes male whales up to seven meters long as well as females, calves and juveniles
How are dead whales removed? Local authorities have several options available to them to remove dead beached whales. 'These whales rely on sound for all major life functions and are extremely sensitive to it,' Dr Wei told MailOnline.'Those intense noise could cause hearing loss and behavioural changes in these animals.'
'Pilot whale mass strandings have occurred in similar regions historically but we are seeing an increase that can be attributed to increased stress, changes in environmental conditions, food availability and higher chances of group leaders to become unwell.'
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Tragic scenes on Orkney as pod of 77 pilot whales found on beachIt is becoming a depressingly familiar sight on shorelines around the world. Now Scotland has suffered one if its largest ever mass strandings of whales after 77 beached
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Tragic scenes on Orkney as pod of 77 pilot whales found on beachIt is becoming a depressingly familiar sight on shorelines around the world. Now Scotland has suffered one if its largest ever mass strandings of whales after 77 beached
Read more »
Tragic scenes on Orkney as pod of 77 pilot whales found on beachIt is becoming a depressingly familiar sight on shorelines around the world. Now Scotland has suffered one if its largest ever mass strandings of whales after 77 beached
Read more »
Cetacean experts arrive in Orkney to examine stranded whale podExperts from across the UK are due to arrive in Orkney to begin examinations of the whale carcasses.
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Experts arrive to examine Orkney stranded whalesStranding expert Emma Neave-Webb said there would be some post-mortem examinations.
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Experts bid to save surviving whales after mass stranding on Scottish islandThe long-finned pilot whales became stranded on Sanday, Orkney, on Thursday.
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