Classic Example of a Lost Pilot Whale
A Lesson in Understanding Why Whales Beach: My stranding theory indicates that beached whales and dolphins swim blindly into the shore because they are suffered a previous barotrauma-style injury that damaged their cranial air spaces and knocked out the sense of direction. Rarely is there a particular stranding that illustrates this any more than the one that occurred last night in Otago, New Zealand. Attempts to stop a 4m-long pilot whale from beaching itself at Kaka Point, Otago, New Zealand failed. The whale was eventually left to die on the rocks. This whale was suffering for a severe pressure-related injury (barotrauma) that damaged its cranial air spaces and caused this animal to lose all sense of direction. This whale resides in a pod... where are the other pilot whales? Residents, police, firefighters and the Kaka Point Surf Life Saving Club spent more than two hours trying to help the injured whale back out to sea, but in the end the whale's desire to beach itsel...