Most whales that swim onto a beach are swimming in the path of least resistance, downstream with the flow of the surface currents. The surface currents carry each grain of sand to build the beach in the first place--these same currents guide lost whales thereto. Stranded whales have no sense of direction mostly because they are suffering from a barotraumatic sinus injury which disable their biosonar. This injury likely occurred up to 3-4 weeks before they are washed into a beach. They are dehydrated and malnourished. Sharks often chase them ashore causing intense stress. They often die due to shock and/or reduced blood flow to their internal organs. Pushing stranded whales back out to sea without knowing why they beach is not saving whales. Rather, it is feeding the starving sharks.
Capt. David Williams
Deafwhale Society, Inc.
http://www.deafwhale.com
The weight of the whale collapses the lungs , they do not have a supportive skeleton.
Smaller whales can continue to breathe for a few tides but die if their skin dries out - they overheat.
Hi because the water supports that large body mass with bouncy.
so if a whale has to come up for air every 90 minutes or so, why do beached whales die?
