Mass stranding of 33 long-finned pilot whales in Ireland

17/11/2010 09:34:17 Mass stranding of whales in Donegal - Courtesy of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group
November 2010. 33 Long-finned pilot whales have died after stranding en-masse on Rutland Island, Co Donegal according to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group. (IWDG).

The IWDG received a call from Seamus Boyle of Arranmore Fast Ferries, Co Donegal about a group of whales washed up on Rutland Island. A second call from Liam Miller at Burtonport confirmed 33 pilot whales were dead.

Apparently these whales had been around the area for a few days and local people had been going out to see them. IWDG contacted veterinary colleagues in the UK who are particularly interested to establish the cause of death of deep-diving species such as pilot whales and discovered that a group of around 30 pilot whales were monitored in South Uist in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland last week for fear of their live-stranding. This may be the same group.

Severe weather
Plans to carry out a post-mortem examination have been cancelled given the severe weather forecast over the next few days, but a team from the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology led by Dr Ian O'Connor and IWDG are planning to record length, gender and obtain photographs to see if we can match them to the Scottish animals. Skin samples and teeth will also be collected for genetics and life-history studies.

Long-finned pilot whales on a beach in Donegal.  Copyright Seamus Boyle/Arran Fast Ferries.

Most whales were large with only one described as a calf. They were quite buried in the sand and some had quite a lot of skin missing and scavenger (bird) damage.

 

At least three or four whales had significant dorsal fin notches, which we hope we'll be able to use for matching with the group seen off South Uist.

Unusual
As an isolated incident this stranding would have been infrequent but not unprecedented in Ireland, but if associated with the potential stranding in Uist in the Outer Hebrides then it is more unusual. If these are the same pod as recorded off Uist then it is unusual that a pod of pilot whales should near strand in Uist and then travel to West Donegal and subsequently strand. There is only 250km between the two sites; very little distance for whales to travel. If they are not the same pod then for two similar sized pods of long-finned pilot whales to strand or near strand, in two different events within a week is again very unusual. Thus this stranding taken out of isolation is an unusual event.

See the latest updates on the IWDG website 

Simon Berrow
IWDG Co-ordinator