Whale experts arrive in Orkney to examine deaths of stranded pod

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Whale experts arrive in Orkney to examine deaths of stranded pod

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Cetacean experts from around the *** are due to arrive in Orkney to begin examinations and post-mortems on a stranded pod of 77 pilot whales.

The pod washed ashore on Sanday beach on Wednesday in what experts believe to be the largest mass stranding in nearly 100 years.

Experts from the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS) and *** Cetacean Stranding Investigation Programme (CSIP) will begin examinations of the pod, using tissue samples to establish the cause of the stranding.

Stranding expert Emma Neave-Webb said removing the animals was a “massive undertaking” with local farmers are on standby to help with the removal of the carcasses.

Members of the public are being asked to stay away from the area while post-mortem examinations are carried out.

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Experts will measure the carcasses and take samples to investigate why the stranding happened

Ms Neave-Webb from British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) said she felt helpless and emotional visiting the site and seeing the scale of the stranding.

She said: “I’ve seen this type of thing before through strandings that have happened globally but I’ve never experienced it in person with that many animals lying on a beach.

“It’s very emotional when you first arrive. We knew some animals were still alive so they were priority but we had to go through every single animal there.

“Quite often you feel quite helpless because its not a safe environment.

“The animals were very closely packed together with alive animals next to ***** animals, they were moving around quite a bit, thrashing their tails occasionally so it was a really dangerous situation.”

The pod included male whales, measuring up to seven metres (22ft) long as well as females, calves and juveniles.

BDMLR medics were brought in from mainland Orkney and Inverness to help with the rescue attempt, but Ms Neave-Webb said it appeared the whales had been stranded for “quite some time”.

Rescuers attempted to keep the whales alive by pouring sea water over them, but the decision was later taken to euthanise them.

‘Massive undertaking’

Ms Neave-Webb told

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that the investigations would be a “massive multi-agency undertaking”.

Experts from SMASS and CSIP will measure each carcass and take samples of skin, blubber and muscle.

Following a high tide overnight, Ms Neave-Webb said some of the animals were now partially ******* in sand, providing a further challenge to access them.

Due to the scale of the stranding, post-mortems will be carried out on “some”, not all, of the animals.

The site of the stranding is hard to access and Ms Neave-Webb paid tribute to Sanday locals who have been transporting experts using four by four vehicles.

She paid tribute to “absolutely brilliant” locals farmers who will assist in moving the carcasses using tractors and trailers.

“It’s a massive undertaking and everyone in the community and further afield have really pulled together to help.” she said

“We’ve got a couple of the local farmers on standby with tractors and trailers to help us. They’ve been absolutely brilliant. They’re working with the council at the moment to organise where these animals are going to go.”

Disposal of bodies

A spokesperson for Orkney Islands Council said discussions were taking place with community representatives on how best to dispose of the bodies.

They said: “In previous circumstances where whales have beached on our shores and subsequently *****, the approach from our Environmental Health team around disposing of the body has been to allow nature to take its course – with the public advised to stay away from the area.

“Our assessment in this case, given the scale and the likely public health implications, is that more definite action will need to be taken, for example burying them where they are or removing the bodies to a large grave site elsewhere.”

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