This is a natural phenomenon and has been happening since time immemorial, but it still remains one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the animal kingdom. Sometimes the animals simply die at the sea and are washed ashore with the tides and currents, but live strandings are more mysterious and many theories have been put forward to explain their possible cause, for example
Earth’s magnetic field cause animals lose their sense of direction.
Stress produced by an earthquake or storm could cause them to panic
Brain infection could cause disorientation
Sonar system’s failure: acousticcommunication in most cetaceans is used to maintain group cohesion among other important functionalities,
May simply get lost or feel sick and need to rest.
In mass strandings, the whole group may be in trouble in some way, if the group follows one individual that is still ill or disoriented.
Information from strandings
It is important to be aware that in stranding events, only professionals would be ale to obtain samples of the animal. Since many physical characteristics change drastically after the animal has been dead, samples should be obtained as soon as possible. A necropsy is generally the process following a dead animal, in which different samples and measures are taken from it. These samples are processed in laboratories to obtain valuable information, for instance, genetic data. In addition, the teeth (or baleen) size, number and shape are examples of data that are difficult to obtain from wild alive animals.
How to deal with a stranded live animal
What to do
Get expert help as quick as possible
Keep animal’s skin moist
Build a shelter to provide shade
Keep the flippers and flukes cool (digging pools underneath)
Try to keep people within a limit distance
Avoid loud noises
Support the animals when needed to maintain buoyancy
Search