Fauna Journal Entry
Stranded Whales Die in Tasmania (February 2, 2009)
Dozens of sperm whales became stranded and died off the coast of Tasmania. NOAA.
Forty-eight sperm whales were stranded along a beach in northwestern Tasmania, the big island off the southern coast of Australia. Only two whales were still alive when rescuers reached the beach. But strong winds and huge ocean swells made it impossible to tow the whales back out to sea in time to save them.
The beaching is the second in Tasmania in the past three months. In November, a large pod of pilot whales were stranded along the island's west coast. Rescuers managed to save eleven of the whales.
Whale strandings are common in Australia and New Zealand, which the mammals pass migrating to or from Antarctica. The cause often remains a mystery. Researchers suspect some strandings are linked to the sociable nature of many whale species, which often swim in large pods. Sometimes the pod may chase its prey too close to shore or try to protect sick members. Some whale strandings have been blamed on parasite infections that disable their sense of direction.
Other strandings have been linked to underwater sonar tests. Sonar sends powerful sound waves pulsing through the ocean that can injure marine mammals' ears or disorient them.
