An event in which a large number of marine animals, most often whales or dolphins, become stranded together on a beach or in shallow water, sometimes numbering in the hundreds. Proposed causes include disorientation from underwater noise pollution, illness affecting a pod's navigational sense, following a sick or injured leader onto shore, and unusual coastal topography that confuses the echolocation species such as pilot whales rely on.
Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
Certain red tide events release biotoxins, such as domoic acid or brevetoxin, that are a documented direct cause of mass strandings of marine mammals and seabirds that ingest contaminated prey.
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.
View At A Past Year
The atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.