More than 50 whales die after stranding on Scottish Island

a More than 50 pilot whales die Sunday after a mass stranding on the coast of a Scottish island.

Only one whale survived, according to marine charity British Divers Marine Life Rescue.

The group received a call about a beached whale from North Tosta on the Isle of Lewis around 7 a.m. local time. By the time rescuers arrived, only 15 of the roughly 55 stranded whales were still alive.

Rescuers tried to resurface the surviving whales, but three more died during the rescue team’s efforts, and 12 still survived, eight adults and four calves, according to Ocean Charity. It is said that

By 3:30 p.m., veterinarians decided it was too dangerous to resurface due to the rough seas and shallow beach, and euthanized the whale.

The group said it was an “incredibly complicated rescue”. Due to the remoteness of the area, medical workers had to drive up to eight miles to receive services in order to contact rescue coordinators. Floating pontoons also had to be airlifted. Britain’s Divers Marine Life Rescue said the organization was “hopelessly short of response equipment” after Sunday’s rescue operation.

Officials have yet to reach a final conclusion as to why the mass stranding occurred, but ocean charities believe one of the whales was stranded while giving birth. “Pilot whales are notorious for their strong social bonds, and when one whale gets into trouble or runs aground, others often follow suit,” the group said.

The Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Program plans to conduct an autopsy to determine the cause. People were advised to avoid the area so that autopsies could be performed unhindered. The group said Sunday’s beach drift was believed to be the largest mass stranding fatality in Scotland in decades.

Nearly 500 pilot whales killed in two attacks Aground accident in New Zealand last year.Australia had at least mass strandings in 2020 380 whales death.

Sunday’s mass stranding occurred days later 78 pilot whales killed As part of traditional hunting in the Faroe Islands, an autonomous and semi-autonomous region of Denmark.