Akanthou, Cyprus. A male beaked whale was found dead on a beach near the Famagusta district village of Akanthou, according to Tashkent nature park director Kemal Basat. He said it will be transported to the centre for a necropsy to determine the cause of death.
Details of the discovery
Basat wrote in a social media post that the whale was around five metres long and weighed around a tonne and a half. He said teams from the Tashkent nature park were carefully removing it from the rocks and transporting it for examination.
Necropsy to determine cause of death
Basat said he hoped the necropsy results would provide a clearer understanding of the cause of death.
Reference to earlier strandings
Basat referred to what he described as the mass stranding of 13 beaked whales at various locations on Cyprus’ west coast in early 2023.
Studies cited on sonar susceptibility
At the time, reports and academic studies suggested the species found dead on the island’s beaches is particularly susceptible to sonar pulses, which are frequently used during naval exercises.
Expert comments on impacts of sonar
Peter Tyack, a professor of marine animal biology at Scotland’s University of St Andrews, previously said exposure to sonar “pushes some whales over the edge.” He said some whales lose their ability to manage gases under pressure, causing gas bubbles that can injure or kill, and some strand on the beach and die.
Tyack said whales often attempt to distance themselves from the source of the pulse but become disorientated, rise to the surface rapidly, and may suffer decompression sickness.
Other potential noise sources
It was also suggested that noise from exploratory seabed drilling could have stressed and disoriented the whales.
What do you think the necropsy will reveal about the whale’s cause of death?