20 dolphins die after biggest mass stranding for 27 years
Pastor Dale Morgan
20 dolphins die after biggest mass stranding for 27 years*
By Richard Savill and Urmee Khan
Last Updated: 5:01pm BST 09/06/2008
More than 20 dolphins have died in a river creek in what has been
described as the biggest mass stranding of marine animals in Britain for
27 years.
Rescuers called to Porth Creek, near Portscatho, on the Cornish coast,
off Falmouth Bay, described a "scene of carnage" and warned that many
more dolphins could be at risk.
Rescue workers with the bodies of dead dolphins from Porth Creek in
Cornwall (top) A dead dolphin is recovered from the Percuil River
Dead dolphin bodies from Porth Creek (top) and a dolphin is recovered
from the Percuil River
The first pod of about 30 dolphins swam up the Percuil River and were
beached in Porth Creek yesterday morning. It was thought the stranding
could have been related to a low tide.
Rescuers said they believed that after first few dolphins got into
trouble, their distress calls lured others into the river. Witnesses
told of seeing the mammals tangled in debris and seaweed in shallow
water, with their bellies out of the water. The bodies of others were
stranded on the shore.
Teams of conservationists, divers, and coastguards were in a frantic
race against time last night to send surviving dolphins back out to sea.
Liz Sandeman, director of operations at Marine Connection, a charity for
the protection of dolphins, said that at least 80 dolphins had been
drawn into Falmouth Bay away from their deep ocean habitat and that
dozens were now at risk.
"This is certainly the biggest stranding since 1981 when we had pilot
whales stranded," she said.
"So far about 21 are dead and the next 24 hours will be crucial in
saving any more.
"Once these animals are out of the water they are too heavy and it puts
huge pressure on their organs. They would basically be killing
themselves by squashing themselves.
"We still don't know what why this has happened but some have already
been sent for post-mortem examination so we should know soon."
One theory is that the first pod of dolphins may have been scared by
something and swam up the Percuil river to hide. Another is that they
were chasing fish.
Tony Woodley, of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue charity, said the
species were striped dolphins which were not naturally a coastal breed.
He said they were ocean going and had probably followed in fish who were
feeding on a large algal bloom in the area.
Mr Woodley said: "Logistically a rescue like this is a minefield; it is
very difficult to manage.
"You have to get all the dolphins together, if one or two leave the
river system they will just come back to rejoin the main social group."
Striped dolphins are closely related to the common dolphin. They grow to
about eight foot in length and are acrobatic. They travel in large
groups of up to 100 individuals and prefer feeding on shoals of small,
deep sea fish, as well as squid and octopus.
Charities reported that some common dolphins had since become embroiled
in the stranding.
The British Divers Marine Life Rescue charity said: "We haven't seen a
stranding anywhere near this scale since 1981 when pilot whales were
beached on the east coast (of Britain). This is extremely rare."
Helmsman David Nicoll, from the Falmouth lifeboat, added: "It's a
horrible scene of carnage with bodies everywhere, but we are doing our
best to help and will continue to support the expert groups."