Scientists Undertake Extensive Investigation into UK’s Most Severe Whale Stranding
In a devastating incident, a pod of 55 whales stranded themselves in the Western Isles, leading scientists to initiate a comprehensive post-mortem investigation. The distressing event took place when the majority of the pod washed ashore on Traigh Mhor beach at North Tolsta on the Isle of Lewis. Unfortunately, only 15 of the whales remained alive upon arrival. While one was successfully refloated, the remaining whales had to be euthanized due to welfare concerns. This tragedy marks the highest number of deaths resulting from a mass stranding of animals in the UK in at least 70 years.
Dr. Andrew Brownlow, a leading veterinary pathologist and director of the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS), described the forthcoming investigation as a “monumental task.” Due to practical limitations, the team will be unable to examine all 55 whales and will instead focus on collecting data from a select number of specimens. Although weather conditions could pose challenges, Dr. Brownlow expressed that the situation had improved since the initial incident.
During an interview with BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland program, Dr. Brownlow stated, “It’s going to be a monumental task. There are more animals sadly which are awaiting necropsy now than all of the mass strandings put together for the last decade. What we will try and do is triage these animals – we will select those animals that we think best represent the rest of the pod and make sure that we take samples and as much data as we can. Then it’s simply a race against time, energy, and weather. We will do the most that we possibly can to find out what’s been going on here.”
Pilot whales are known for their strong social bonds, often resulting in a chain reaction when one whale becomes stranded. In previous incidents, 60-70 pilot whales came into shallow waters in Sutherland in 2011, and 21 died during a stranding in Pittenweem in 2012. The Natural History Museum records the largest UK stranding occurring in 1927 when over 130 false killer whales were present, with 126 dying in the Dornoch Firth in the Highlands. There are also historical accounts of a mass stranding of pilot whales in Dunbar, East Lothian, in May 1950, with reports estimating 147 whales found on the beach.
Marine charity British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) suggested that the pod on Lewis may have followed a female whale onto the beach when she experienced complications during birth, similar to an incident in Staffin on Skye in 2015. However, Dr. Brownlow emphasized the need to investigate and rule out human impact as a contributing factor. He explained, “Pilot whale strandings have happened for centuries – it’s not necessarily the case that it’s because of human impact. But that’s one of the things we want to try and investigate and rule out – to see whether or not some of the things that can affect these animals such as underwater noise, interaction with fishing gear, accumulation of toxins or disease may have played a part.”
Initial attempts were made on Sunday to provide first aid to the surviving whales. BDMLR tried to refloat two of the more active whales, successfully assisting one in returning to the water. Unfortunately, another whale was later discovered further down the beach. The deceased whales will be moved to a landfill in Stornoway for burial following the investigations.
Dr. Brownlow acknowledged that leaving whales to decompose on beaches contributes to the natural nutrient cycle. Nevertheless, he considered the decision to relocate the stranded whales understandable due to Traigh Mhor’s popularity as a beach destination on the island. The Western Isles Council, known as Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, has advised the public to avoid the area during the whale removal operation.
A similar incident occurred last year when over 200 whales of the same species were stranded on a remote beach along the west coast of Tasmania, Australia. While the stranding of 55 whales represents a significant event for Scotland, Dr. Brownlow emphasized that it was not unprecedented. Nonetheless, the incident has attracted attention from scientists worldwide. Dr. Brownlow highlighted the learning potential from examining these animals, stating, “From the process of examining these animals, we can learn a lot about the threats and pressures that affect not just the animals in our waters but globally. So I think there is some value in doing this.”
