Almost 60 pilot whales die in Australian mass stranding

[shamanstar]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051025/sc_afp/australiaanimalswhales_051025140312

SYDNEY (AFP) - Almost 60 pilot whales have died after stranding themselves on a beach on the Australian island of Tasmania

A Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service spokeswoman said on Tyesday that the pod of 67 pilot whales was spotted at Tasmania's Marion Bay on Tuesday morning.

Most were stranded on an area of the bay inaccessible by road and most had died by the time wildlife officers used boats to ferry volunteers across to them, spokeswoman Liz Wren said.

"We managed to save 10 whales, unfortunately the rest died," she told AFP

Tasmania's rugged coastline has one of the highest stranding rates in the world, with state government records showing some 2,800 pilot whales and 500 dolphins had beached themselves up until 2003.

[Kralizec]

1. Another sign of the sickness of the planet. (eom)

[shamanstar]

2. sad thing is the way some people look at it

it is sad that some people see whale beaching as a problem because then they have to deal with the disposal of the dead whales.
I almost cried when i saw the picture.

[xultar]

3. We have to find out if there was any sonar experiments or military

sonar work in that area.

[leftchick]

4. katie couric says it is one of lifes mysteries

why the whales beach themselves. I say it is sonar.

[jwirr]

7. When was the first beaching that we know of - does it

coincide with sonar? That does not mean that it could not be sonar but it would mean we need to look further.

[Jose Diablo]

5. Driving a herd with sonar from a sub

Was a fleet passing south of Australia?

[Javaman]

6. Perhaps the result of the oceans warming :(

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[skipos]

9. If you want to hear

that Bush is an intelligent, articulate, effective President who could only be eclipsed by a Presidency from Jesus Christ, I recommend freerepublic.com It might be more your speed.

[Matilda]

10. Not so far from the truth.

"The world's whales, porpoises and dolphins have no standing to sue
President George W Bush over the US Navy's use of sonar equipment
that harms mammals, a federal appeals court has ruled."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200410/s1224406.htm

I think there's enough evidence that sonar may cause harm to mammals
for proper investigations into its use near these creatures to be
carried out.

But I don't expect it to happen on Bush's watch.