Nine Orcas Strand and Die in New Zealand

[Beringia]

Whether there was any link between an orca stranding near Tuatapere, Southland, and earthquake activity was unknown, an orca expert said today. Nine orcas died after beaching on Tuesday. Orca Research Trust founder Ingrid Visser, who arrived in Invercargill today, said the stranding would give scientists an opportunity to gather data on orcas.

"A lot of people are thinking that the stranding is possibly linked to seismic activities, earthquakes in the area but we don't know until we get down there [Western Southland]," Visser said. Visser will meet Maori iwi (tribe) to discuss conducting tests on the carcasses of the eight remaining stranded orca. If iwi agree Visser will have unprecedented access to the orcas. "There is just no explaining what we can learn from a situation like this," she said.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/9717197/Did-quakes-cause-orca-stranding