Scientists investigate whale deaths after Navy test in Bahamas (fwd)
Recycled News
Scientists investigate whale deaths after Navy test in Bahamas
By JESSICA ROBERTSON
FREEPORT, Bahamas (March 22, 2000 6:18 a.m. EST
http://www.nandotimes.com) - Eight whales beached and died soon
after the U.S. Navy conducted anti-submarine exercises off the
northern Bahamas. The deaths prompted an investigation and
calls for an end to the exercises.
The Navy said Tuesday that there was no evidence to link the
whale deaths to last week's exercise testing sonar detection of
submarines.
Navy Cmdr. Greg Smith said the tests took place from about 1
p.m. to 5 p.m. March 15 off Abaco Island - part of a series of
exercises testing "sonar buoys" that were to continue through
March 22.
Marine biologist Ken Balcomb of the Earthwatch environmental
group said beachings began that same day, and within two days
at least 14 whales had grounded themselves on Abaco, Grand
Bahama to the north, and Eleuthera to the south. Eight died,
prompting investigations by Bahamian and U.S. scientists and
authorities.
"A whale beaching in the Bahamas is a once-in-a-decade
occurrence," said Balcomb, an American who has been studying
whales around Abaco island for nine years.
"We will be making recommendations to the Bahamian government
that these sort of exercises be terminated," he said. "The fact
that it coincides with the military exercises cannot be just
coincidental."
But the Navy spokesman said there was no evidence linking the
two events. "My understanding of the actual locations would put
the island between the operations where the `sonobuoys' were
located and where the whales eventually beached themselves,"
said Smith.
Naomi Rose of the Washington-based Humane Society of the
United States, maintained the signals could still do damage.
"These signals, depending on frequency, could travel quite a
distance and could even wrap around the island," said Rose, a
marine mammal scientist. "One could argue that they fled the
area where the sonar was being transmitted."
Another U.S. marine biologist here to investigate, Charles Potter
of the Smithsonian Institute, said the number of whales beached
is "extremely unusual. But he said the postmortems showed the
whales had suffered no physical damage, such as broken ear
drums.
Balcomb said the mammals included several deep-water beaked
whales, goose beaked whales measuring 16-19 feet, dense
beaked whales measuring 10-13 feet, baleen whales measuring up
to 27 feet and some small minke whales.
Michael Breynan, director of the Bahamian Fisheries Department,
said he was working with U.S. scientists to try to determine the
cause. Breynan said his department kept no records of beached
whales but added: "I am not aware of any similar incident (having
occurred) in the Bahamas."
He said further tests on the dead whales would be carried out in
the United States, a process that could take months.
Smith said the exercise was testing for upgrades of what the
Navy calls the Directional Command Activated Sonobuoy System.
The exercise involved a Navy P-3 aircraft dropping two buoys
north of Abaco, one as close as 35 miles to the island, the other
70 to 75 miles from the island. One buoy emitted a sonar signal
which was received by the other, and a submarine was moving
between the two buoys.
He said the exercise had nothing to do with low frequency active
sonar, a new and controversial system that transmits sonar
pulses so loud they can match the roar of a rocket launch.
The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, responsible for
overseeing all U.S. actions that could affect the environment at
home or abroad, said it approved the Navy's environmental
assessment for its exercise.
Roger Gentry, coordinator of the service's acoustics team, said
the exercises shouldn't have affected the whales. "Yet we have
beached whales."
The service has also sent veterinarians and acoustic experts to
investigate.
Marine scientists have been expressing growing concern in recent
years about the possible effects of man-made noises on marine
mammals who rely on their hearing perhaps more than their sight.
"We already know from preliminary research that's been done that
there are some problems with man-made noise in the marine
environment," said Rose of the Humane Society.
However, other experts have been quick to point out that none
of the research has been able to conclusively blame man-made
noise for events such as the whale beachings in the Bahamas.
Copyright 2000 Nando Media
Copyright 2000 Associated Press
----- End forwarded message -----
Stefan Jacobs
Stefan Jacobs
steja...@aol.com
Orca Homepage - www.orcahome.de
************************************************
From: Ken Balcomb & Diane Claridge, Bahamas Marine Mammal
Survey, Abaco, Bahamas
Email: bm...@oii.net
To: Michael Braynen, Director of Fisheries, Nassau, Bahamas
Bob Gisiner, Office of Naval Research, Arlington, Virginia
Subject: March Whale Strandings in the Bahama Islands
Date: 23 March 2000
The following is a summary of thirteen whale and dolphin stranding
events that we know about in the northern Bahama Islands during
March 2000 as of this date. We were directly involved in assisting
with rescue or necropsy during nine of these events and can
document them in some detail. We will provide our comments on
the events that we were not directly involved in to assist in their
evaluation. The number of stranded cetaceans involved is
seventeen, and all but one of these apparently stranded the same
day - March 15, 2000 apparently beginning in the early morning
hours. Both the large number of coincident strandings and the fact
that they involved at least four species in three families of two
suborders of cetaceans can be considered highly unusual and
probably related in some way. The animals we examined or
assisted were mostly immature and in good body condition. The
focal area of the strandings (15 of 17) is along shores of the
Northeast and Northwest Providence Channel, which is between
Nassau/Eleuthera and Grand Bahama/Abaco. In two recent flights
we have surveyed shorelines of most of this area and estimate that
there are probably not significant additional strandings referable to
this timeframe. We escorted four of the stranded beaked whales
(two goose-beaked whales and two dense-beaked whales) back to
sea, and we heard that two other "beaked whales" and two rorquals
were returned to sea alive. Nine of the whales/dolphins reported are
dead, and specimen materials are available from six of these.
It is worth noting that we have been gathering reports of marine
mammal strandings, and have been conducting field studies of
living marine mammals in the Bahama Islands since 1991; and, the
stranding rate of cetaceans is typically on the order of one or two
reported per year in the entire island chain. Beaked whale
strandings are particularly rare. We were fortunate to have a team
of volunteers from Earthwatch on site to assist with the effort
required to keep up with these events.
1. March 4 @ 0900, a forty-eight foot long rorqual (Balaenoptera
sp.) stranded alive at Lower Bogue, North Eleuthera (24 28N 76
24W which is 28 miles from the nearest direct deep water in
Exuma Sound, or 12 miles circuitously to NE Providence Channel).
The whale died on March 5, 2000. Diane Claridge flew to Eleuthera
on March 7 to identify and examine the whale, but it had been
buried by the time she arrived. She was able to obtain a tissue
sample for DNA analysis, an eyeball and two shreds of baleen
(collected March 5) for possible species identification. The
collected material is in a freezer at Sandy Point, Abaco, and the
skeletal material can be exhumed at some later date for analysis.
2. March 15 @ 0815, a sixteen foot long (estimated) goose-beaked
whale (Ziphius cavirostris) stranded alive in front of our rented
house at Sandy Point, Abaco (26 00N 77 24W). We immediately
pushed it off the shore and guided it by boat to deep water by
0912, where it swam away. The whale appeared very disoriented,
but was swimming strongly. This rescue was videotaped and the
tape can be analyzed to better estimate length and sex, if
possible. The whale was not mature. It is worth noting that we had
previously photo-identified this whale on March 1 swimming off
Southwest Point, Abaco at 25 50.439N 77 16.576W.
3. March 15 @ 0700, a twelve foot long (estimated) goose-beaked
whale (Ziphius cavirostris) was discovered stranded alive at Rocky
Point one mile south of event 2 and reported to us at 0835. It was
almost completely out of water due to tide having ebbed. Low tide
was at 1018, and we estimate the whale must have been hard
aground by 0700. We were still guiding the whale of event #2 to
deep water when whale event #3 was discovered, so we divided our
team of volunteers and had them work with other local people to
cover the whale #3 with towels and sheets and keep it wet. When
the tide rose sufficiently to get this whale onto a blue tarp and have
twelve people lift and drag it off the shoals, we escorted it to water
deep enough to release it and escort it with kayaks and an
inflatable boat to deep water at 1303. This was challenging
because the whale was bleeding from several superficial ventral and
tail scratches and several 6-8' sharks were attempting to get close
to the whale as we were knee to waist deep in the water. Three
people with poles and boards were assigned to keep the sharks
away. The whale stopped bleeding and the sharks dispersed before
the whale was escorted to deep water. The whale appeared very
disoriented, and was not swimming as strongly as the whale in
event #2. We have some scraped skin samples of this whale for
DNA analysis. This rescue was also videotaped, and the whale
was photographed for later identification.
4. March 15 @ 0830, a twelve foot long (estimated) dense-beaked
whale (Mesoplodon densirostris) was discovered stranded alive at
Sandy Point one hundred yards north of event 2. Our neighbors
pushed it off the shore and escorted it with kayaks and an
inflatable boat to deep water by about 1033. After seeing whale #2
safely in deep water, we returned to this whale, and the last few
minutes of this rescue were videotaped as the whale swam off into
very deep water, and the whale was photographed for later
identification.
5. March 15 @ 0700, a five foot long Atlantic spotted dolphin
(Stenella frontalis) was reported stranded alive at Powell Cay (26
54N 77 29W) while we were rescuing the whales in events 2,3,4.
Tourists kept the dolphin wet for much of the day until a
veterinarian (Dr. Bater from Freeport, Grand Bahama) and Diane
Claridge arrived around 1700. The dolphin died shortly afterwards
and we froze it entire in a freezer at Sandy Point, Abaco at 2000,
awaiting CITES permit for export for further analysis.
6. March 15 @ 1530, a twelve foot long (estimated) dense-beaked
whale (Mesoplodon densirostris) was reported stranded alive at
Gorda Cay (26 06N 77 32W). The whale was first seen around
1100 in a mangrove lagoon on the northwest side of the island, but
could have been there earlier. We responded by boat to the report
around 1600 and used the blue tarp method of wrapping the whale
and hand holding it alongside the boat as we took it toward deep
water. Disney personnel on a jet ski conducted the final escort to
deep water at sunset as we returned to Sandy Point. The rescue
was partially videotaped, the whale was photographed for later
identification, and a sloughed skin sample was saved for DNA
analysis.
7. March 15 @ 1230, an 18 foot long whale with a pointed nose,
and a calf whale were reportedly stranded alive on opposite sides of
Peterson Cay, Grand Bahama (26 36N 78 31W). Tourists pushed
out both whales to sea. No photographs or specimen material
known, but these were probably beaked whales.
8. March 15 @ 1600, an 18 foot long goose-beaked whale (Ziphius
cavirostris) was reported to have been stranded dead at High Rock,
Grand Bahama (26 37N 78 17W) and towed out to sea. It was,
however, buried after Eden Butler of UNEXSO took photographs
and measurements. The specimen could be exhumed if it is
considered important for analysis.
9. March 15 @ time unknown, two 18 foot long whales were
reported stranded at Burrows Cay (26 26N 77 46W). Fishermen
reported that one on shore had "funny" teeth and one was in the
water. Ken Balcomb flew over the island on March 16 and saw a
whale on shore at Water Cay in the Burrows Group, but none in the
water. Ken and Dave Ellifrit went by inflatable boat to the area on
March 17 and collected the head of the whale on shore, identifying
it as a goose-beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) about sixteen feet
long. It had been badly attacked by sharks and the dorsal fin,
flippers and tail were missing. It apparently exsanguinated,
suggesting the attacks were pre mortem. The head was frozen at
2000 on March 17, and Dr. Ketten removed the earbones on March
21, remarking that they were in an excellent state of preservation.
Currently, the earbones and specimen materials from this
specimen are preserved at Sandy Point, Abaco awaiting CITES
export permit to send appropriate materials to Dr. Ketten and to
Charles Potter who has offered to curate the specimen.
10. March 15 @ time unknown, two goose-beaked whales (Ziphius
cavirostris) were reported stranded at Gold Rock Creek, Grand
Bahama (26 36N 78 32W). Dr. Bater of Freeport, Grand Bahama
conducted a preliminary examination of these whales on March 17
and determined that one was male and the other was a female. He
requested that a veterinary Pathologist assist with necropsy, and
Dr. Ruth Ewing from NMFS Southeast arrived on March 18 to
assist. Unfortunately, the whales had been buried on order of local
authorities. Ken Balcomb also arrived on March 18 to assist and
the whales were exhumed at 1200. Dr. Ewing and Dr. Bater
conducted the necropsy of the whales, which were by then
decomposing. The heads were removed and taken to Dr. Bater's
office where they were iced down. Dr. Ketten arrived on March 19
and removed the earbones for analysis, noting that they were not in
a good state of preservation. The male specimen was 17 feet total
length and the female was 18 feet total length. The male had
erupted teeth, which Ken Balcomb collected and has at Sandy
Point, Abaco. It has been reported to us that the other specimen
materials are at Dr. Bater's office in Freeport awaiting CITES export
permit to send to Dr. Ewing, who will forward the earbones to Dr.
Ketten. Hoyt Peckham and Nan Hauser assisted with the necropsy
and documented it on film and video.
11. March 15 @ time unknown, two whales were reported stranded
alive near Royal Island, North Eleuthera (26 31N 76 47W). These
turned out to be a live minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata)
about 27 feet long stranded on a sandbar at the north end of Royal
Island, and a rorqual (Balaenoptera sp.) reportedly ten feet longer
swimming in ten to fifteen foot deep water in Royal Island Harbour.
The stranded whale was kept alive by locals and boaters and
escorted through the reef out to deep water around 1600 on March
16. A photograph of this whale published in the Nassau Tribune on
March 17 confirms its identification as a minke whale. The larger
whale was escorted out of the harbour to deep water off Egg Island
on March 17. No specimen materials were taken of either whale.
12. March 16 @ 1000, an eleven foot long male dense-beaked
whale (Mesoplodon densirostris) was found by Diane Claridge
stranded dead in the mangrove lagoon of Cross Harbour Creek,
Abaco (25 58N 77 16W). We towed the fresh carcass to a nearby
beach and conducted an amateur necropsy, saving organ
specimen materials, stomach contents and the entire head (which
was put into a freezer by 1730). The specimen was in an excellent
state of preservation and was estimated to have been dead less
that twenty-four hours. It is likely that this whale swam into shallow
water on March 15 and died early on March 16. Dr. Ketten would
like to cat scan the frozen head, before removing earbones. The
necropsy was photographed and videotaped, and specimen
materials are preserved in formalin and in freezers in Sandy Point,
Abaco awaiting CITES export permits for sending them for
analysis.
13. March 20 @ time unknown, one goose-beaked whale (Ziphius
cavirostris) was reported stranded at Freetown, Grand Bahama (26
35N 78 29W); but, it was subsequently learned that this whale was
on the beach as early as March 17, already "stinking". Dr. Bater
and Charles Potter conducted a brief necropsy, noting that the
whale was an 18 feet long male, decomposing; and, it presumably
died about the same time as the other Grand Bahama strandings
reported above (i.e. March 15). The tip of the jaw had been cut off,
presumably by someone who wanted to obtain the teeth. Earbones
were collected for Dr. Ketten. Hoyt Peckham and Nan Hauser
documented the necropsy on film and video.
Additionally, we had a late report received 23 March: March 15
during afternoon, one fifteen to eighteen foot long whale was seen
swimming in shallow water near Meek's Patch, North Eleuthera (25
30N 76 46W) by boaters aboard sailboat "Morning Wind". This
vessel also first reported the two whales at Royal Island (event
#11). We are trying to locate these boaters for further details. As
far as we know this whale did not strand.
Note: It has been suggested that naval operations may have
somehow affected the whales involved in these events, as has been
surmised following at least two other military exercises in recent
years in which there were multiple strandings of beaked whales.
Beaked whales (Suborder Odontoceti, Family Ziphiidae), in
particular may be sensitive to acoustic activities and may be
frightened/disoriented by sound sources and levels that are not
otherwise permanently damaging to them. If they are frightened into
habitats totally unfamiliar to them such as shallow water, they
appear to become extremely disoriented and may strand.
Scratching their skin on coral and hard surfaces of shallow bottoms
will cause them to bleed, which in turn may attract sharks that
further frighten and injure them. The coincident military activities
known to us at this time from published reports are: 1) a Notice
reported in the Nassau Tribune describing a live surface firing
exercise during the hours of darkness between 12-14 March near
AUTEC in Tongue of the Ocean at 23 32N 77 29W, involving a
derelict vessel; and, 2) a Department of the Navy Notice to the
National Marine Fisheries Service of an LWAD 00-1 Sea Test
scheduled for 15-22 March 100 nautical miles east of Florida (3140
Ser 321B/023/00 dated 18 February 00. A detailed post analysis of
those military exercises and any others in the area on the night of
March 14 and the early morning of March 15 might yield important
information concerning the cause(s) of these anomalous stranding
events. Sound travels at about fifty miles per minute underwater
and it would arrive in canyons in the area of the whale strandings
within minutes of originating. The AUTEC recordings should reveal
all of the detail needed to determine timing, frequencies and
pressure levels of that military event, as well as any natural or other
event, such as seismic activity. The details of the LWAD exercise
as conducted should likewise reveal all of the detail needed to
determine timing, frequencies and pressure levels of sounds
resulting from that exercise. Given the fact that very sophisticated
equipment was involved in all of the reported military activities, it is
certain that any and all significantly loud sound sources in the
region were known to the US Navy, whether or not they produced
them. We respectfully request that a thorough post analysis be
undertaken to determine what could have caused the tragic events
reported above.
Stefan Jacobs
email: steja...@aol.com
website: http://www.orcahome.de