Stranded Whales (1 Viewer)

I read an email today at work which detailed the stranding of several whales of different species on beaches on different islands off North West Africa and the entrance to the Mediterranean. These happenings seem to be coinciding with a VERY big military exercise (NATO) going on in the same sea area. Several strandings have been live and the animals have been 'relaunched' so to speak and appear to have been saved. Many others have died and post mortems are going on. Scientists are also searching the area for other dead whales which have not reached land in the hope of getting further data. The initial thinking is that the balance/hearing organs are being damaged by the exercise whatever that may mean. My guess ranges from lots of very heavy and powerful engine vibrations to shells and bombs exploding in the sea. I don't know and maybe at the moment no one does. It may be worth keeping an eye on the internet and the press for further developments. I'm sure there will be some.


Colin

when you think how far whale song travels under water, and how sensitive their 'hearing' must be,intrusions like these must have some detrimental effect on the whales ( and possibly other species )

Billy,
Absolutely agree with you.


Colin

might be something to do with this,

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/2181263.stm

Summary: seems like US Navy is playing with some nasty new radar

Dylan.

Stranded whales put to death in USA

Thanks so much for that link Dylan, I had no idea all this was going on. I can't stand it - 60 whales dead, poor, poor things such distress and it must have been so awful for all those volunteers that tried so hard to save them.........

El Annie :-C

as soon as I read theis thread I knew I'd seen something like this recently and dug out the link.
The thing I don't understand is that they've been given the go ahead to try it out for 5 years!
Dylan.