Over 50 pilot whales found dead after beach stranding in Scotland

In a tragic incident, more than 50 pilot whales have died after becoming stranded on a beach on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland.

This marks the largest mass stranding of its kind in the country in many years.

Authorities were alerted to the incident on Sunday morning, and despite efforts to refloat more than a dozen living whales, their attempts proved unsuccessful. Eventually, the decision was made to euthanize the remaining stranded whales on welfare grounds. Out of the stranded whales, 55 have lost their lives, while one is believed to have survived.

According to the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), one female whale was discovered with a vaginal prolapse, leading to suspicions that the entire pod became stranded due to birthing complications. Pilot whales are known for their strong social bonds, often leading to other members of the pod following a stranded individual.

The Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS) has announced plans to examine the bodies of the whales to determine the cause of the stranding.

In a statement on Instagram, SMASS stated that over the next several days, they will be conducting sampling and necropsies to gather data and gain a better understanding of the health of these animals and the reasons behind the stranding.