Unusual activity witnessed before pilot whale stranding
Just days after a pod of long-finned pilot whales stranded on an island in the Hebrides in Scotland, another stranding event involving the same species occurred on the other side of the world in Western Australia.
Around 100 whales stranded on a remote stretch of coastline over 450km south east of Perth. There are various theories put forward as to why these events take place but on this occasion rescuers witnessed the whales behaving in an unusual way before they stranded.
Drone footage of the whales showed them gathering close together in a tightly-knit circle. Such behaviour had never been seen before a stranding although the whales are renowned for living in closely-bonded groups.
Despite the best efforts of rescuers in freezing conditions, many whales could not be saved while a group that was refloated subsequently had to be euthanized after restranding.
