Tragedy strikes King Island

[celtic_pride]

Second group of whales die
November 29, 2004

A SECOND pod of whales offshore from the site of a mass beaching on King Island in Bass Strait has died, officials said.


Beached ... whales rarely venture into water shallower than 180m / File pic


The 17 pilot whales were confirmed dead by wildlife officers this morning, taking to total toll of dead whales and dolphins to 97 in the past 24 hours, Tasmanian Department of Primary Industry, Water and Environment spokesman Warwick Brennan said.

A mixed pod of long-finned pilot whales and bottle-nosed dolphins beached on the remote Sea Elephant Beach, north of Naracoopa, yesterday.

Rescuers counted the bodies of 55 whales and 25 dolphins by this morning.

Baby whales were among the dead.

There were no further survivors in the area, Mr Brennan said.

Meanwhile, 50 pilot whales had reportedly beached on Maria Island off Tasmania's east coast, a government spokesman said.

Rescuers were on their way to the area, the spokesman said.

The cause of the standings was not known.

A year ago a mass stranding of the same species occurred on Tasmania's west coast.

Locals first noticed the stranded animals yesterday afternoon and have pitched in to help try to save them.

Late last night, local police herded 30 dolphins and 12 whales out to sea.

The animals were last seen around 11.15pm (AEDT) swimming in a northerly direction, one nautical mile from shore.

Mr Brennan said the beach was a terrible sight this morning.

"It is quite grim," he said.

"You've got a large number of spectacular animals that are dead on the beach. There are some baby whales as well, so it's not a pleasant site."

AAP

That is the most tragic and heart wrenching news I've heard, for quite a while. It is such an terrible and hurtful thing to see such beautiful mammals die in such an meaningless way.
More money should be spent (from govt. depts) so that none of these beachings in such an large scale, happens again.

 

[Jabber]

Tragedy for you = smorgasbord for Japanese businessmen

 

[RooDog]

Tragedy for you = smorgasbord for Japanese businessmen

harsh! but still funny!

 

[- PC -]

I have always wndered if whales wre beaching themselves pre 1800s and if not how much is due to electrical influences on the sonar in their brains?

 

[WZA]

OH NO, 100's OF WHALES DEAD. IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD. WHY WHALES, WHY WOULD YOU BEACH YOURSELF? US HUMANS ARE AN EMOTIONAL WRECK NOW, PLEASE STOP!

 

[ZimZum]

That is the most tragic and heart wrenching news I've heard, for quite a while. It is such an terrible and hurtful thing to see such beautiful mammals die in such an meaningless way.
More money should be spent (from govt. depts) so that none of these beachings in such an large scale, happens again.

This is a wind up isn't it. You cannot seriously think the govt should be wasting money on this when people go without food in this country. Get some perspective.

 

[god_of_the_universe]

It just goes to show you animals are stupid. Hey look the water is getting shallower. Hey look the water is ending. Hey look there is no more water. Hey look im dead.
If dolphins are so smart why do they beach themselves...even jellyfish which have no brains do a better job of not beaching themselves.

 

[Ruddiger]

Tragedy for you = smorgasbord for Japanese businessmen

All they need now is the vending machine selling used women's underwear.

 

[Ron]

This is a wind up isn't it. You cannot seriously think the govt should be wasting money on this when people go without food in this country. Get some perspective.

I'd rather see my tax money go to save the whales, than to help the filthy smelling bums. Yes this might make me seem like an **************** (but i already know i am so who cares) but if we are going to spend any money on homeless and poor people, it should be to move them all to an incinerator.The quicker these leeches of society are removed, the more money the governement will have to spend on more productive means.

 

[Total Package]

I agree its a tradegy. Nothing worse than seeing helpless animals suffer.

 

[Jabber]

I agree its a tradegy. Nothing worse than seeing helpless animals suffer.

It's self inflicted suffering though. Why do people attribute great intelligence to these animals? Is it because we can train them, they live in social groups, care for their young, they communicate? Most mammals fall into this category, even rats - the difference is they don't commit suicide.

Dolphins & whales know when they are beaching themselves, they do it in the wild all the time when hunting for food, and they know how to unbeach themselves. The only reason's for a beaching like King Island are illness, suicide or stupidity. All 3 are reason enough not to waste time and energy to push them back.

Dolphins and pilot whales are the nuff nuff's of the aquatic animal world. No instinct for self-preservation. Thats why they are so easy to capture and train.

 

[portentous]

I'd like to know why, so we don't have to see this footage any more as it is really distressing-at least to anyone with a heart.....

 

[WZA]

How can seeing Animals, that you don't even know, be depressing? I bet you don't get depressed when you see a gun victim on the News, being wheeled into an Ambo.

You guys are EEEEEEMMMMMMOOOOOOO!

 

[portentous]

How can seeing Animals, that you don't even know, be depressing? I bet you don't get depressed when you see a gun victim on the News, being wheeled into an Ambo.

You guys are EEEEEEMMMMMMOOOOOOO!

Actually I do get upset then too. But it's not usually 100's of them.....

I cried at my son's concert yesterday ffs so don't tell me I'm "insensitive"!

 

[Bombers 2003]

It just goes to show you animals are stupid. Hey look the water is getting shallower. Hey look the water is ending. Hey look there is no more water. Hey look im dead.
If dolphins are so smart why do they beach themselves...even jellyfish which have no brains do a better job of not beaching themselves.

Look at some beaches,and see what's on them.If thats not Jellyfish,i dont know what it is

 

[WZA]

Actually I do get upset then too. But it's not usually 100's of them.....

I cried at my son's concert yesterday ffs so don't tell me I'm "insensitive"!

WHAT? You cried at your son's concert? Let me guess, it was a Christmas one huh?

HAHAHAHHA. Pathetic.

 

[purplesoul]

Pathetic.

Pathetic is not being able to understand that the slow agonising death of beautiful, intelligent and endangered animals is upsetting to people. Finding scenes such as the beachings at King Island distressing, does not have to be at the exclusion of feeling for other causes.

 

[purplesoul]

It's self inflicted suffering though.

But is it Jabber? Marine biologist and scientist are yet to determine an accepted reason for these beachings. Other than some animals being sick and the rest of the pod following them, there are theories on magnetic storms (happened to be one in the area 2 days before), sonar interference from submarines and whale traps.

Humans have intervened many times in the past by pushing the animals back to sea and saving many endangered animals.

Just think, it is possible that one animal may have had sonar interference and ended up on a beach. It then sends out a distress signal and the whole pod is doomed.

 

[portentous]

WHAT? You cried at your son's concert? Let me guess, it was a Christmas one huh?

HAHAHAHHA. Pathetic.

No it wasn't actually. He'd spent 100's hours practicing for it.

You really are a sad excuse for a human being....

 

[purplesoul]

No it wasn't actually. He'd spent 100's hours practicing for it.

It's usually the hours spent practising that has parents in tears.

 

[Jabber]

...Just think, it is possible that one animal may have had sonar interference and ended up on a beach. It then sends out a distress signal and the whole pod is doomed.

I accept that is a possible scenario, hence my suggestion that they lack an instinct for self preservation.
The laws of natural selection suggest that they should stop at the point at which their own life is obviously in danger, otherwise there would be few pilot whales or dolphins left. The fact that they don't suggests it is likely a willing choice or they have a form of piscatorial insanity.

Other than maybe Lemmings, it is difficult to find an equivalent mammal scenario. As for these beachings, emotionally I'd feel no different if 100 rats ran under a bus.

 

[3rdEchelon]

Oh what a tragedy!

 

[Total Package]

Other than maybe Lemmings, it is difficult to find an equivalent mammal scenario. As for these beachings, emotionally I'd feel no different if 100 rats ran under a bus.

Comparing Rats to Dolphins??? Dolphins are highly intelligent... read up some of the stories of Dolphins and their connection to humans.... the fact they end up washed up on a beach doesn't mean they are stupid or suicidal. It's like falling off a building.. . once you start falling you can't just stop mid air... and once these Dolphins are in trouble and get washed in the tide is not going to get bigger and drag them back in... by then its too late.

You wouldnt call schoolchildren stupid and suicidal but children have notorious tunnel vision... where they will see a ball go on the road and just chase it and not look to see if there is any danger of cars on the road.... A child's protection is their parents who stop then running onto the road and take care of them. Dolphins are the same... they may not know the danger of a beach and by the time they are beached they can't just stand up and walk back into the water. The Dolphin's protection is us.. we are the only ones capable of saving them when they get into trouble like this.

It's extremely saddening to see them suffer a death like this and not be able to help them. To me its more upsetting than seeing a human getting shot in the head. Humans are the real stupid ones because they should know better.

 

[purplesoul]

Comparing Rats to Dolphins??? Dolphins are highly intelligent... read up some of the stories of Dolphins and their connection to humans.... the fact they end up washed up on a beach doesn't mean they are stupid or suicidal. It's like falling off a building.. . once you start falling you can't just stop mid air... and once these Dolphins are in trouble and get washed in the tide is not going to get bigger and drag them back in... by then its too late.

You wouldnt call schoolchildren stupid and suicidal but children have notorious tunnel vision... where they will see a ball go on the road and just chase it and not look to see if there is any danger of cars on the road.... A child's protection is their parents who stop then running onto the road and take care of them. Dolphins are the same... they may not know the danger of a beach and by the time they are beached they can't just stand up and walk back into the water. The Dolphin's protection is us.. we are the only ones capable of saving them when they get into trouble like this.

It's extremely saddening to see them suffer a death like this and not be able to help them. To me its more upsetting than seeing a human getting shot in the head. Humans are the real stupid ones because they should know better.

Wow - respect for you frank!

Swimming or having close contact with whales and dolphins makes you realize how magnificent these animals are. You also have to remember that it is unfair to judge any animals intelligence by human tests. They are intelligent in their own right, and if we measured humans in terms of their intelligence, we would appear stupid.

 

[Jabber]

Comparing Rats to Dolphins??? Dolphins are highly intelligent... read up some of the stories of Dolphins and their connection to humans.... the fact they end up washed up on a beach doesn't mean they are stupid or suicidal. It's like falling off a building.. . once you start falling you can't just stop mid air... and once these Dolphins are in trouble and get washed in the tide is not going to get bigger and drag them back in... by then its too late..

So it's impossible to stop 'mid-air' when 99 other dolphins have preceeded you and are squeeking while grounded on a beach. All these wildlife shows showing dolphin agility are a fraud then. Dolphin sonar is quite capable of detecting the bottom and as a result depth of water - they would know long before hand if it was getting shallow. Any that trap themselves are stupid or suicidal.

One dolphin could be argued as an accident, 2 perhaps, but 99 in succession and your argument fails.

You wouldnt call schoolchildren stupid and suicidal but children have notorious tunnel vision... where they will see a ball go on the road and just chase it and not look to see if there is any danger of cars on the road.... A child's protection is their parents who stop then running onto the road and take care of them. Dolphins are the same... they may not know the danger of a beach and by the time they are beached they can't just stand up and walk back into the water. The Dolphin's protection is us.. we are the only ones capable of saving them when they get into trouble like this...

I would assume the dolphin equivalent would be tunnel-sonar. Anyone who knows anything about sonar knows that you can't miss a solid object like a beach. The fact that a hundred do suggests they are not as highly intelligent as you think.

It's extremely saddening to see them suffer a death like this and not be able to help them. To me its more upsetting than seeing a human getting shot in the head. Humans are the real stupid ones because they should know better.

Next time someone shoots me in the head, I'll kick myself for not knowing better.
Dolphins are the aquatic equivalent of a dog - seemingly intelligent because they are friendly and respond to trained commands, but ultimately just as likely to play chicken with a car.