Well, it has just been reported that in New Zealand, about 200 more black pilot dolphins have stranded on land near Cape Farewell in the northern part of the South Island. All TV channels show how volunteers are trying to save them, pouring water on them and wrapping them in wet rags.
At the same time, a day earlier, about 400 pilot whales stranded in the same area. As reported, most of them, up to 300 individuals, were already dead.
Such cases are not the first in history. Why is this happening?
People have been finding sea animals that have inexplicably washed up on shore since at least the first century AD, as evidenced by ancient Roman and Greek documents. Today, marine biologists undertake to name the reasons for only half of such incidents, and these reasons are very different.
In 2002, 55 whales washed ashore on Cape Cod Bay. Thanks to the efforts of American rescuers, 46 animals were saved. People doused the whales with water and covered them with wet towels, preventing them from overheating. When the tide came in, the whales were dragged into the water. Alas, some of these sea animals never saw the tide.
In 2004, 15 whales washed up on the shores of two islands in the Canary archipelago. Only three of them were saved.
In June 2005, about 160 whales washed up on the Australian coast. Rescuers, with the help of volunteers, did not allow the five-meter “fish” to die.
In October 2005, 70 whales died on the beaches of the island of Tasmania (Australia).
In March 2007, 12 whales washed ashore on one of the Galapagos Islands. Despite all the efforts of rescuers, seven animals died.
In 2012, on the Cape Cod Peninsula alone, 177 common dolphins ran aground and 124 died, according to reports from the Associated Press. The report also mentioned that this total number of dolphins exceeds the average of 37 animals recorded in the previous 12 years.
More than 200 dead dolphins have washed up on the beaches of Chiclayo, Peru. In this case, they found not only dead dolphins, but also dead fish - anchovies. Since this small fish is food for the dolphins, it is possible that they became sick due to these fish, but the cause of the death of the animals remains a mystery.
Why is this happening?
Often this is an injury or illness. An animal that has been attacked by a predator may feel too weak to float, at some point it gives up and allows itself to be carried ashore by the waves. In our case, the head of the World Wildlife Fund's marine program, Konstantin Zgurovsky, suggested that the cetaceans could have been stunned by seismic surveys or underwater acoustic systems of warships. According to the expert, there are also suggestions that animals are infected with worms or poisoned by pollutants entering the ocean, such as heavy metals.
Climate cycles could change the direction of movement of fish and other creatures that dolphins feed on. Dolphins, chasing prey, could swim close to the shore and land on land. This makes sense considering that sardines and other fish have been found washed ashore with dolphins in Peru.
Much more mysterious are cases when a whole group of animals washes up on the shore. One explanation scientists offer is that whales and dolphins, which hunt and migrate in small herds, are victims of their own social structure. If the leader or dominant animal is cast ashore due to illness or injury, the rest of the group may follow. Whales always help out a relative from their pod. If one of the whales wanders into shallow water by mistake, it immediately begins to send signals to its relatives, and they rush to help. Alas, the whales, instead of saving their comrade, get into trouble themselves.
Another version is that the herd swims too close to the shore and does not have time to return during low tide.
In some cases, marine animals commit mass “suicides” shortly after the active use of military sonars nearby. In 2000, in the Bahamas, for example, 17 animals of four different species (beaked whales, toothed whales, minke whales and spotted dolphins) were found on the shore in 36 hours - the day the sonar was used in these places and the next 24 hours.
Research conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration following this incident found that naval sonar devices were the most likely cause. Research data suggests that sonars had an impact on both the physical condition and behavior of marine animals.
Whales are excellent at navigating the ocean, so biologists say that they have a magnetic compass in their brains, thanks to which these sea creatures can navigate by the Earth's magnetic field. If a geomagnetic obstacle appears in front of whales, their internal compass becomes faulty and they begin to swim in the wrong direction. It is known that rescued whales often wash ashore again. Perhaps this is precisely explained by the breakdown of the compass - the whales returned to the water, but could not find their way.
There is also a theory of noise. This theory is the most popular today. Scientists claim that whales and dolphins are being killed by the deafening roar of submarines. Losing their hearing, whales lose their bearings and wash ashore. An examination of the bodies of the ejected animals suggested that the cause of suicide was decompression sickness. This malaise occurs when there is a sharp decrease in external pressure. Caisson disease is a disease of divers, pilots and workers who work in caissons (underwater work chambers).
A strong noise underwater frightens the whales, and they begin to rise up too quickly - there is a sharp decrease in external pressure. This provokes the occurrence of decompression sickness in whales. Echo sounders, radars, sonars, missiles, and submarines can scare whales. This version is supported by facts - there are several examples of whale strandings occurring during military exercises using sonars.
It also happens that animals are thrown ashore intentionally - for hunting. Black killer whales, for example, often attack pinnipeds such as seals or sea lions in the surf or close to the shore, where their victims change their mode of movement from swimming to walking and do so rather clumsily. While the animal is trying to get out of the water, the killer whale makes a dash and grabs the prey. After this, she can either wait for a suitable wave, or try to return to the ocean, wriggling her whole body.
Here is video evidence of one such hunt:
But 30 dolphins washed ashore:
Be that as it may, scientists have not yet come to a consensus.
Dolphins are water-dwelling mammals belonging to the order Cetaceans and are considered the most intellectually developed animals. Scientists are aware of the outstanding intellectual abilities of mammals, but some features of animal behavior are still not fully understood. So, experts are concerned about the question of why dolphins wash ashore. There are several possible theories to explain this phenomenon.
By the way, not only cute dolphins are thrown out, but also huge whales. One hundred percent proof of the reason why dolphins wash ashore does not exist today. There are only a series of hypotheses that can be applied in each specific case.
Reasons why dolphins wash ashore
Noise pollution
Dolphins do not have the usual vision, sense of smell or hearing for other animals of this class, but they accurately determine where a school of fish is located relative to them, and where there are obstacles along the way. All this is possible thanks to the echolocation system unique in the animal world.
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The dolphin perceives sound of a certain frequency. Scientists have found that the maximum values fluctuate around 150 kHz, which is significantly higher than in humans. To ensure unmistakable orientation in space, the mammal makes peculiar sounds. This is usually a clicking or whistling sound. A sound wave through the water column reaches an object located along the animal’s path, is reflected from it and is picked up by the animal’s hearing organs. In this way, dolphins not only find food, but also choose which way to swim.
Scientists believe that due to a number of circumstances, the normal functioning of the orientation system is disrupted. The hearing of animals can be affected by both poisoning by toxic substances in the water and the operation of various devices. It is because of this that they become disoriented and can end up en masse on beaches or get stuck in coastal rocks.
Predator attack
Sometimes the reason why dolphins wash ashore can be an attack by predators. The main enemies of dolphins are killer whales, which belong to the same dolphin family. The brain of these black and white beauties is as well developed as that of their smaller relatives, only their body size and appetite are much larger. Plus – sharks, but the school of dolphins copes with them by hitting the gills with blows from their snouts.
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But the panic that a group or a couple of killer whales causes in a school of dolphins can force the first ones to throw themselves ashore. Or rather, they find themselves stranded, and the breaking wave rolls the animals onto land.
The thrill of the hunt
Sometimes dolphins, in the excitement of hunting - fish, squid, also find themselves stranded, from which they cannot get out on their own.
Old age or illness as a reason for stranding
Old age or illness can cause disturbances in the animal's echolocation. Such animals make up 50% of those who find themselves “on the beach” against their will.
Well, it has just been reported that in New Zealand, about 200 more black pilot dolphins have stranded on land near Cape Farewell in the northern part of the South Island. All TV channels show how volunteers are trying to save them, pouring water on them and wrapping them in wet rags.
At the same time, a day earlier, about 400 pilot whales stranded in the same area. As reported, most of them, up to 300 individuals, were already dead.
What does a Maui dolphin look like?
Maui's dolphins are a sub-species of Hector's dolphins, which are more abundant on the South Island. Although both Maui and Hector's dolphins look very similar to each other, they are genetically different from each other. On the other hand, the Maui and Hector deltas are very different from other dolphin species as they are the smallest dolphins in the world. They are usually 3-7 meters in length, with females being the largest. They are also the only dolphins with a rounded black dorsal fin and a black tail, flippers and eyespots.
Such cases are not the first in history. Why is this happening?
People have found sea animals that inexplicably washed ashore at least since the first century AD - this is evidenced by ancient Roman and ancient Greek documents. Today, marine biologists undertake to name the reasons for only half of such incidents, and these reasons are very different.
The best way to identify a Maui dolphin is simply by seeing this round, black dolphin from the shores of the North Island. Typically swimming in pods, Maui's deltas are found close to shore in water less than 20 meters deep. However, they are known to be located further from the coast.
Dolphins are now known to use the mouths of Manukau and Kaipara, which are huge harbors on the west coast of the Auckland region. Maui's dolphins don't tend to stay in one place for long, as they have been found to travel 80 km over the course of three weeks. However, they tend to use about 30 km of coastline.
In 2002, 55 whales washed ashore on Cape Cod Bay. Thanks to the efforts of American rescuers, 46 animals were saved. People doused the whales with water and covered them with wet towels, preventing them from overheating. When the tide came in, the whales were dragged into the water. Alas, some of these sea animals never saw the tide.
In 2004, 15 whales washed up on the shores of two islands in the Canary archipelago. Only three of them were saved.
Why are Maui's dolphin numbers declining?
Although Maui deltas once inhabited the waters around them, sightings in this area have become extremely rare. There are natural and human threats that impact Maui's dolphin population. While we can't control the natural factors of predation from sharks and oracs, extreme weather conditions and disease, we can control the human-caused threats that seem obvious when you see the many photos released of dolphins caught in fishing nets.
Because the coastal human and dolphin distributions in Maui all occur in coastal settings in the same environment, this has a catastrophic effect on the dolphins - affecting the dolphins' struggles due to their slow reproductive cycle.
In June 2005, about 160 whales washed up on the Australian coast. Rescuers, with the help of volunteers, did not allow the five-meter “fish” to die.
In October 2005, 70 whales died on the beaches of the island of Tasmania (Australia).
In March 2007, 12 whales washed ashore on one of the Galapagos Islands. Despite all the efforts of rescuers, seven animals died.
Human threats to Maui's dolphins include. Net fishing, trawling and drift netting, which can lead to entanglement and drowning of dolphins.
- Boats hit dolphins.
- Marine debris gets in or causes dolphins to become entangled.
- Offshore mining and construction such as seismic exploration.
- General pollution.
Is there any hope for the survival of the Maui dolphin?
This is still a question that scientists are trying to answer, but it can only be answered by observing the rest of Maui's dolphins in the wild. Check out the How Can You Help? section. Below. From the data obtained so far, it was clear that at least two South Island Hector's dolphins were among the Maui pods, suggesting interbreeding could result in an increase in Maui's genetic diversity. This could be promising in the future.
In 2012, on the Cape Cod Peninsula alone, 177 common dolphins ran aground and 124 died, according to reports from the Associated Press. The report also mentioned that this total number of dolphins exceeds the average of 37 animals recorded in the previous 12 years.
Already on the west coast of the North Island, a marine mammal sanctuary has been established as a measure to protect dolphins by enforcing stricter fishing regulations. If you see a Maui dolphin, that's great! Mass twisting on this scale is almost unprecedented.
About 300 of them have already died. There haven't been enough large-scale surveys to know exactly how many pilot whales are swimming in the deep waters around New Zealand. But scientists know that the van-sized creatures tend to live in matriarchal family groups of 20 people, up to 100 people.
More than 200 dead dolphins have washed up on the beaches of Chiclayo, Peru. In this case, they found not only dead dolphins, but also dead fish - anchovies. Since this small fish is food for the dolphins, it is possible that they became sick due to these fish, but the cause of the death of the animals remains a mystery.
Why is this happening?
Often this is an injury or illness. An animal that has been attacked by a predator may feel too weak to float, at some point it gives up and allows itself to be carried ashore by the waves. In our case, the head of the World Wildlife Fund's marine program, Konstantin Zgurovsky, suggested that the cetaceans could have been stunned by seismic surveys or underwater acoustic systems of warships. According to the expert, there are also suggestions that animals are infected with worms or poisoned by pollutants entering the ocean, such as heavy metals.
"It's just terrible, it will certainly make a dent in New Zealand's flying whale population," says Liz Slooten, a professor at the University of Otago in New Zealand who studies marine mammal biology and conservation.
Pathologists are conducting post-mortem examinations of the whales to try to understand what happened to do so much washing on the shore. Because right now the reason is still a mystery. Sometimes extreme weather or unusual topography of the ocean floor can force whales to move into water that is too shallow to escape.
Climate cycles could change the direction of movement of fish and other creatures that dolphins feed on. Dolphins, chasing prey, could swim close to the shore and land on land. This makes sense considering that sardines and other fish have been found washed ashore with dolphins in Peru.
Right now, the reason is still a mystery. Marine mammals have also been associated with offshore oil and gas exploration, which uses air guns to blast the ocean floor with sound waves. They can directly damage the delicate hearing that marine animals such as whales and dolphins use to navigate, or panic them too quickly, or swim in shallow waters.
With whale pilots, an injury to just one of them can cause problems for the entire pod. “Typically in this group there are one or two people who are experiencing some kind of problem, either sick or dying or sometimes having problems with the birth,” Sloten says. The social organization of whale pilots is so strong that when something like this happens, the rest of the group will not leave. That's why there are usually several dozen, sometimes a couple of hundred whales.
Much more mysterious are cases when a whole group of animals washes up on the shore. One explanation scientists offer is that whales and dolphins, which hunt and migrate in small herds, are victims of their own social structure. If the leader or dominant animal is cast ashore due to illness or injury, the rest of the group may follow. Whales always help out a relative from their pod. If one of the whales wanders into shallow water by mistake, it immediately begins to send signals to its relatives, and they rush to help. Alas, the whales, instead of saving their comrade, get into trouble themselves.
But she adds: "It's really unusual, this large number of whales." They are rarer than kiwi and are threatened by commercial and recreational fishing. There are fewer than 50 Maui dolphins left in the world. Entanglement in fishing nets is the number one threat. Fishing has caused a significant population decline. The current population size of about 10% for Maui and 30% for Hector's dolphin protection is not enough to help restore Maui's or Hector's dolphins.
- New Zealand dolphins are found only in New Zealand.
- Hector's dolphin is a subspecies of the South Island.
- The Maui dolphin is a subspecies of the North Island.
- Both are endangered.
- The Maui dolphin is endangered.
Another version is that the herd swims too close to the shore and does not have time to return during low tide.
In some cases, marine animals commit mass “suicides” shortly after the active use of military sonars nearby. In 2000, in the Bahamas, for example, 17 animals of four different species (beaked whales, toothed whales, minke whales and spotted dolphins) were found on the shore in 36 hours - the day the sonar was used in these places and the next 24 hours.
The other dolphin does not have a rounded dorsal fin. The fins of most dolphins are more triangle-shaped, like a shark's fin. Other dolphins are about human size, about 2 meters long or more. Today the population is fragmented into small local populations.
This is reflected in their complex behavior and social system. Smaller groups of 2-8 usually consist of a few males or several males and their calves. Their social system is usually described as "fission-fusion". In other words, if a group of 4 and a group of 5 meet, they do not necessarily split back into their original groups, but may go into new and different groups as they go their separate ways.
Research conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration following this incident found that naval sonar devices were the most likely cause. Research data suggests that sonars had an impact on both the physical condition and behavior of marine animals.
We know that from studying the stomach contents of dolphins that have been found dead on beaches or caught in fishing nets. A woman can have her first calf when she is 7 to 9 years old, and will have one calf every 2 to 3 years after that. This means that the overall population growth rate is about 2%. This makes them very vulnerable to human influence.
Compared to other conservation problems, this can be easily solved. The biggest obstacle is the lack of political will to make this happen. Dolphin protection is still insufficient to provide effective protection. In the map above, dolphin sightings are shown as blue dots and red dots. The gray area is a protected area where gillnets are not permitted.
Whales are excellent at navigating the ocean, so biologists say that they have a magnetic compass in their brains, thanks to which these sea creatures can navigate by the Earth's magnetic field. If a geomagnetic obstacle appears in front of whales, their internal compass becomes faulty and they begin to swim in the wrong direction. It is known that rescued whales often wash ashore again. Perhaps this is precisely explained by the breakdown of the compass - the whales returned to the water, but could not find their way.
Seabed iron sand mining vacuums up the seafloor, filters out minerals, and then dumps the dirt back into the ocean. The small town on the northern coast is called Mtunzini. This is a very hot city with warm water. A right whale and her baby were discovered today. Isn't it so far from home?
New Zealand has one of the highest twist rates in the world. On average there are about 300 dolphins and whales every year. Most twisters are individual animals, but mass twisters are common and can involve hundreds of animals at a time.
There is also a theory of noise. This theory is the most popular today. Scientists claim that whales and dolphins are being killed by the deafening roar of submarines. Losing their hearing, whales lose their bearings and wash ashore. An examination of the bodies of the ejected animals suggested that the cause of suicide was decompression sickness. This malaise occurs when there is a sharp decrease in external pressure. Caisson disease is a disease of divers, pilots and workers who work in caissons (underwater work chambers).
Wanderers are complex events, and there are many reasons why dolphins and whales may spin. In most cases, the exact cause is unknown, but any of the following factors or a combination of them may be the cause. Older whales may have difficulty keeping up with their pod or resisting heavy swells or coastal currents. The effects of such a disease leave them weak and disoriented or with impaired echolocation, and they hide. Natural toxins can poison whales. Because they are at the top of their respective food chains, contaminants tend to bioaccumulate in their fat. Food shortages caused by overfishing could lead to depletion of whale stocks. Individual dependent calves and the elderly may also be malnourished. Unfortunately, many daggers have been found with large amounts of debris or plastic in their intestines. Ingestion of these materials can lead to illness and malnutrition. Kelvings will often seek refuge to give birth to their children. If they come too close to the shore, they may spin. In particular, whales that have problems giving birth are more likely to. Whales that avoid empty snags or become caught in vessels can sustain serious injuries such as broken teeth and jaws, deep lacerations, pleural dislocations or fractures, spinal or muscle damage, or severed fins or flukes. Underwater explosions caused by sonar, seismic testing or underwater marine earthquakes can have devastating effects on whales. These loud explosions can damage their hearing and affect their ability to communicate, hunt and move around. They may be lifted up by a wave and washed onto the beach, or left high and dry by the receding tide. They may also end up too close to shore to avoid predators such as Orca. Be careful racks, sandy beaches may not reflect echolocation signals back to the whale, leading them to believe they are in deeper water. Combined with a fast falling tide, the whales can stay high and dry. Some whales may use geomagnetic contours to navigate, and where they cross a shore or outcrop, this may cause the whale to follow the contour line to shore. Unfamiliar coastal configurations or unusual weather conditions, especially electrical storms, may also result to the appearance of whales through a navigation error.
- Due to unfortunate strength, these animals can spin.
- As a rule, they are in poor condition.
- Whales can suffer from a number of diseases.
- It could be a temporary misfortune or something more serious.
- This may cause them to curl.
- When chasing prey, whales may accidentally dance themselves.
A strong noise underwater frightens the whales, and they begin to rise up too quickly - there is a sharp decrease in external pressure. This provokes the occurrence of decompression sickness in whales. Echo sounders, radars, sonars, missiles, and submarines can scare whales. This version is supported by facts - there are several examples that the release of whales occurred during military exercises using sonars.
It also happens that animals are thrown ashore intentionally - for hunting. Black killer whales, for example, often attack pinnipeds such as seals or sea lions in the surf or close to the shore, where their victims change their mode of movement from swimming to walking and do so rather clumsily. While the animal is trying to get out of the water, the killer whale makes a dash and grabs the prey. After this, she can either wait for a suitable wave, or try to return to the ocean, wriggling her whole body.
Here is video evidence of one such hunt:
But 30 dolphins washed ashore:
Be that as it may, scientists have not yet come to a consensus.
This year, the release of dolphins on the coast exceeded all statistical indicators by 10 (ten) times.
Dolphin strandings constantly occur from time to time.
However, this year (2013) the phenomenon exceeded all figures ever recorded by biologists. Ten times the average number of dolphins washed up on the American east coast.
Experts named the exact figure. Between July 1 and November 3, 2013, 753 bottlenose dolphins stranded on the American coast, from New York to Florida.
This was reported by ecologists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to journalists from the American television channel Al Jazeera.
What is this phenomenon
In this geographic region, from New York to Florida, and in the specified time interval, from July to November, 74 dolphin deaths were recorded. This year this figure is an order of magnitude higher. The scale of what happened is simply amazing.
The sun warmed the sand. On a hot summer day, vacationers pay attention to the black fins that inexorably approach the shore, cutting the water surface. The outlines of the dolphins are already clearly visible. Drowsiness disappears from people's faces. Everyone watches the mammals with interest, expecting interesting moments. But the animals quickly, at full speed, rush to the shore. Interest on their faces gives way to anxiety. Meanwhile, heavy animal carcasses are washed up on the sandy beach. After some time, a similar picture occurs a kilometer from this site. There, another group of animals washed ashore. And so it repeats day after day - sometimes more, sometimes less.
Most releases occur during the migration of dolphins in the summer months. If one individual is thrown ashore, the rest of the flock tries to help him and, often, shares his fate. Exhausted animals, with sunburn received on the shore, also very often repeat the path to the shore again, throwing themselves onto it.
What is this? How can this behavior of highly developed animals be explained?
Possible reasons for dolphin suicide
Since humanity does not know much about life in water, today there are different hypotheses and assumptions about the reasons underlying this phenomenon.
One such assumption is that this phenomenon is evidence of an impending global environmental catastrophe.
Of the marine animals, only cetaceans, to which dolphins belong, are marked by this phenomenon.
The orientation of dolphins in the water is carried out by a very precise location device. Its resolution is evidenced by the fact that dolphins easily find a pea in the pool. A failure in the operation of such a natural locator can lead to emissions. But such a “technical” hypothesis in no way explains the widespread nature of this phenomenon.
The hypothesis that tries to explain the mass character is based on the manifestation of a certain herd feeling. That is, he is trying to present the stranding of dolphins as a social phenomenon. But it’s not clear why the “instigator” himself decided to throw himself out? The splitting of the flock into small groups and their throwing ashore is also not explained.
Let's call it the medical version, which seems more realistic. The animals are struck by a certain disease, and they end their lives on the shore, without waiting to die in the water.
This version also has its “buts”. After rescuing some of them, the dolphins lived for many years in aquariums, were easy to train and were indistinguishable from their counterparts who were taken in the open sea.
Apparently, there is a combination of certain factors, both medical and social.
The main version is still “medical”
According to this version, the stranding occurs due to pneumonia and brain infection with a type of measles virus. Scientists from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say that mammals are most likely dying due to morbillivirus, which belongs to the same group as the human measles virus.
Teri Rowles, a spokesman for the agency, said they cannot stop this epidemic due to the lack of a vaccine for the entire dolphin population. Department experts analyzed tissue from 33 stranded animals, and all but one of them were infected with morbillivirus. He noted that dolphins have very low resistance to this virus. As a rule, infection affects the skin, lymph nodes, lungs and brain of dolphins.
The possibility of transmission of the virus from dolphins to humans is practically excluded.
Dolphins are very intelligent creatures. They evolve in sync with the human species. Mammals have their own hierarchy and language.
The functioning of their brain is incredibly different from the brain activity of other animals and fish and is still not fully understood. They are smarter than any person. These amazing creatures have well-developed self-awareness and social awareness.
Why do dolphins wash up on the shores?
These charming creatures have an extraordinary mentality; dolphins learn quickly and are able to communicate with each other. What makes them rush to land and die? Such “suicides” are completely unsuitable for such peace-loving animals.
There are many theories about this
Scientists have identified potential reasons on which this phenomenon depends:
- An unusually warm winter in the part of the world where dolphins live. Temperatures that are unusual for dolphins affect the animals’ self-reproduction, and their hibernation patterns change;
- The shape of the peninsulas, similar to a hook, can lead dolphins into a state of confusion and they can end up in the harbor as if in a trap;
- Feed circulation. Climate transformation entails a change in the route of fish and other creatures that dolphins feast on. Mammals, swimming for prey, may find themselves close to the shore and wash up on it;
- Dolphins can get decompression sickness. Due to the instability of pressure in the ocean, gas particles enter the blood of dolphins, and this negatively affects the walls of cells and blood vessels;
- The variety of signals and noises emitted by human-made instruments can interfere with dolphins' locating apparatus;
- Ocean pollution. Many tons of garbage and oil that fall on the surface of the ocean poison marine animals with toxic substances;
- The list of natural causes includes the movement of the Earth's poles, which causes extreme tides, due to which dolphins do not have enough time to swim away from shallow waters at low tide.
There is another curious assumption that dolphins, which are the ancestors of other species of animals living on land, under certain conditions tend to the shore. This can be caused by certain diseases and viruses.
Weak, sick dolphins - solitary ones - approach shallow water in order to “save” themselves from illness and not spread the disease to other members of the pod.
So, many scientists continue to tirelessly monitor these incidents and try to find other explanations and ways to save the animals.
At the same time, among the ordinary population there are also people who are not indifferent to the fate of mammals. They are trying to help dolphins who find themselves on the edge of life and death.
Unfortunately, dolphin self-destruction remains a mystery. We can only hope that scientists will be able to explain the reason for this behavior of mammals and find a way to prevent this phenomenon. Then smart animals will stop dying.
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