Nan Rice | WhaleTales Blog by Chris von Ulmenstein

Nineteen pilot whales beached on Noordhoek beach early yesterday morning, of which fourteen died.

iol reports that five of the beached whales were transported to Simonstown, and were released back into the ocean, but one re-beached there again. Five whales died naturally, while another nine were ‘humanely euthanised’

Local residents, the NSRI, and police helped to keep the whales alive by pouring buckets of water over them and by placing towels on them. Attracting attention across Cape Town after media broadcasts and Tweets announced the beaching, Noordhoek beach was eventually closed.

Whale researchers have not been able to explain why whales beach. It is speculated that the lead whale may become ill or caught in shallow water, and followed by the remainder of the pod. Research also shows that marine pollution, shipping noise, as well as navy sonar noise may disorient whales and lead to the beaching. Pilot whales have a higher likelihood of beaching than other types of whales, particularly in New Zealand and Australia. Four years ago 55 killer whales beached at Kommetjie.

POSTSCRIPT 26/3: In the Cape Times Letters page today, Nan Rice, CEO of the Dolphin Action & Protection Group, corrects the incorrect media reports about the type of whales that beached, being false killer whales, and not pilot whales. She writes critically about bystanders that criticise the euthanising of the stranded whales, and argues that it is more humane to euthanise them. Not one of the nineteen whales survived, the whales put out into the ocean rebeaching again and also dying.

Chris von Ulmenstein, Whale Cottage Portfolio: www.whalecottage.com Twitter: @Whale Cottage

More than 50 pilot whales beached on Long Beach in Kommetjie, in Cape Town, on Saturday, reported The Associated Press, and the NSRI volunteers battled to steer the whales weighing over 1 000 kg each back into the rough seas.

The result was that 34 whales had to be shot in the head with a pistol, the most “humane” way for them to be “helped”, as they kept rebeaching themselves, it was said.

Nan Rice, of the Dolphin Action and Protection Group, said of the whale killing: “I feel quite sad, but it is the right thing to do”. She explained that mass strandings are stressful for whales. Beaching takes place due to ‘navigational error’, she said, according to The Sunday Independent.

Other reasons for beaching may be that a whale may be sick or have parasites, which can affect its sense of direction, seeking out land. This may cause other whales to follow suit, due to the social bonding between whales, reports the Sunday Argus. Rip currents may also confuse the whales’ sonar. The navy has denied doing any sonar testing which may have led to the beaching of the whales.

Twenty whales were saved, and successfully returned to sea. Front-end loaders were used to move the whales back into the sea.

The BBC was at the scene, and filmed the rescue operation: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8075250.stm