In News
- Recently, pilot whales were stranded near the shore of Kalpitiya, a town located on Sri Lanka’s west coast.
Pilot Whales
- Pilot whales are so named because it was once believed that each observed group was navigated by a pilot or leader.Â
- There are two species of pilot whales:Â Short finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus), which are mainly found in tropical and warm-temperate regions, and long-finned pilot whales (G. melas), which inhabit colder waters
- They and other large members of the dolphin family are also known as blackfish.
- They are highly social and may remain with their birth pod throughout their lifetime.
What is Whale Stranding?
- Whale stranding is a phenomenon in which whales are stuck on land, usually on a beach.Â
- Most of the stranding events involve single animals but sometimes, mass strandings, consisting of hundreds of marine animals at a time, can happen.
Reasons for Mass Stranding
- The topography of the region,Â
- IllnessÂ
- Human activitiesÂ
- Panic from being trapped by a predator such as killer whales or sharks.
Protection
- Scientists and workers try to drag the whales away from the shore and guide them back into the water.
Source:TH
