This last weekend an article from the Guardian was brought to our attention announcing an investigation report released about a Mass Stranding Event (MSE) that occurred on July of 2011. Somehow we missed this at the time of publication…
Tag: stranding
Tragic Orca stranding in New Zealand
Two days ago a pod of nine orcas was found stranded on a rocky beach in southern New Zealand. Researchers are attempting to find out what may have caused the tragedy, but after being out of water for some time…
The US Navy really “goes for it” in training area plans
Given their candor in the recent past it is not too surprising that the US Navy their Atlantic Fleet Testing and Training (AFTT) plan will “inadvertently kill hundreds of whales and dolphins and injure thousands over the next five years.”…
Adriatic Sea Sperm whale stranding revisited
In December 2009 seven Sperm whales were found stranded on the beaches of Gargano on the Adriatic Sea. Necropsies on two of the whales found that their digestive systems were choked up with plastic, so the headlines at the time…
Beaked whale strandings in Sicily coincident with NATO exercises
Michela Podestà from the Museum of Natural History of Milan sent out a notice about two beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) that were found stranded in Sicily close to Syracuse February 8, 2011. The local Coast Guard attempted to tow and…
Mass Sperm Whale Stranding in Italy – Follow-up
A bit more information has come in on the sperm whales washed ashore on the Italian Gargano Peninsula a few weeks back. The necropsies have revealed that the animals had ingested large amounts of plastic – probably mistaking it for…
Mass Sperm Whale Stranding in Italy
Between December 10 and 11 seven sperm whales washed ashore on the Italian Gargano Peninsula. It has taken a few days to sort through the data and speculations. Necropsies are being performed by Sandro Mazzariol of Padova University. Mass strandings…
Communication signals threaten marine habitat
Back in the mid 1970’s Physical Oceanographer Walter Munk was evaluating the acoustical transmission characteristics of the ocean “sound channel” – an isothermal layer in the deep ocean that baleen whales use for long distance communication. His visionary work in…
Hanalei Bay melon headed whale stranding not a “lunar” event.
OCR board members and Acoustic Ecology director Jim Cummings sent a follow-up article on the 2004 Hanalei Bay melon headed whale “embayment” citing a paper by Bob Brownell which put the “lunar connection” of this event to rest. Jim’s blog…
Lunar connection on Hanalei Bay stranding nixed.
On the morning of July 3 2004 there was an agitated aggregation of Melon Headed whales in Hanalei Bay, Hawai’i. This event was concurrent to the RIMPAC international naval exercise which happens every two years. As is typical with these…