Over 100 beached whales die in New Zealand

[Kshasty]

Source: RIA Novosti

More than 120 whales died on two New Zealand beaches over the weekend after becoming stranded, the Times on-line edition said on Monday.

The first incident reportedly took place on a remote beach in the north of New Zealand's South Island on Saturday, and the second happened on the North Island's eastern coast, the paper said.

Whale beachings are common in New Zealand; however, it is rare for two to happen one after the next.

On Saturday, 105 whales beached themselves south of the tourist town of Nelson at Farewell Spit, close to the whales' migration routes, the paper said. Most of the animals died before they were spotted by a tourist plane which alerted the Department of Conservation, Times said.

Read more: http://en.rian.ru/world/20091228/157398793.html

[Wizard777]

1. Why not give them to Japanese whalers in exchange for no kill agreements?

My only concern is that if we give them the beached whales. Is they may start herding them onto beaches. Like they used to herd cattle off cliffs.

[truthisfreedom]

6. Good idea actually. BTW why do DUers love to argue about nothing? Look at the exchange below.

This shit is starting to bug me. We have to stop this infighting.

[The Stranger]

2. Any Naval Sonar Blasts in the area recently?

Guess this reporter didn't do his/her homework.

[WriteDown]

3. Given that whale beachings happened long before sonar was invented...

Probably not an issue. Of course we wouldn't want to prevent the usual memes though.

[The Stranger]

4. If you're trying to argue that whale beachings (and the story makes special note that there were two

in a row, and that is unusual) have nothing to do with sonar blasts, then you must have found your way to the wrong web site.

[WriteDown]

5. Perhaps you are the one on the wrong site...

Are you going to argue that whale beachings have not happened all throughout recorded history?

[clear eye]

7. Interesting question.

Given the rarity of so many beachings, I was thinking about mercury poisoning affecting their nervous systems, but sonar is also possible. Both should be investigated.