223 Stranded Whales Rescue Themselves (npr.org)

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223 Stranded Whales Rescue Themselves (npr.org)

Posted by EditorDavid on Sunday February 12, 2017 @08:04AM from the whales-out-of-water dept.

More than 650 whales beached themselves in New Zealand, and more than 350 of them died. But now an anonymous reader shares NPR's report about a surprising result for the second group of whales. When volunteer rescuers left the beach for the night Saturday, hundreds of survivors from the second stranding remained ashore. Then something curious happened: When the people returned Sunday morning, almost all the surviving whales were gone. All but 17 had left the beach and returned to the waters of Golden Bay overnight.

"We had 240 whales strand yesterday in the afternoon and we were fearful we were going to end up with 240 dead whales this morning," Herb Christophers, a spokesman for New Zealand's Department of Conservation, told Reuters. "But they self-rescued, in other words the tide came in and they were able to float off and swim out to sea."

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Yet another benefit of global warming by SuperKendall · 2017-02-12 08:15 · Score: 4, Funny

Rather than cause problems, as we can see a higher ocean level means more whales can return to the sea. What kind of monsters are you Warming Alarmists that want more whales to die, alone and sandy?

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"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
1. Re:Yet another benefit of global warming by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 12:22 · Score: 0
  
  There is probably a category in a cemetery in California for people who died while been buried it the beach sand with the engraving: "Died alone and sandy."
2. Re:Yet another benefit of global warming by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-13 00:20 · Score: 0
  
  I think whales beach themselves because they are protesting human pollution of the water ways. It is risky, but the cause is worth it.
And they floated off to the next Trump protest by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 08:27 · Score: 0, Funny

Bitching about misogyny all the way
1. Re:And they floated off to the next Trump protest by arglebargle_xiv · 2017-02-12 13:15 · Score: 0
  
  Naah, someone spread a rumour that there was a Dunkin Donuts in the next beach over and they all waddled over there while whining that their boyfriends didn't pay them enough attention.
disconcerting by Gravis+Zero · 2017-02-12 08:28 · Score: 4, Insightful

While it's good that some whales managed to escape, I find it extremely disconcerting that whales are beaching themselves en masse and we don't know why.

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Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
1. Re:disconcerting by DontBeAMoran · 2017-02-12 08:31 · Score: 1
  
  Bad GPS units from some untrustworthy eBay sellers?
  
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2. Re:disconcerting by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 08:37 · Score: 0
  
  They did it so 223 of them could un-beach in a symbolic gesture of what they'd like to use to take care of the Trump administration.
3. Re:disconcerting by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 08:45 · Score: 0
  
  Apple maps.
4. Re:disconcerting by fisted · 2017-02-12 09:10 · Score: 1
  
  It was obviously a protest.
  
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5. Re:disconcerting by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 09:11 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  My theory is a whale cult. Their leader said that they will get to heaven which is up there. They beach themselves, and find out "shit, I'm desiccating and can't get off this damn beach and I'm hungry. They said there would be endless all you can eat shrimp in heaven."
6. Re:disconcerting by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 09:38 · Score: 0
  
  Well we have a pretty good idea, they're searching for disrupted food sources in a warming-disrupted ocean - and then you factor in active sonar deafening them...
7. Re: disconcerting by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 09:57 · Score: 0
  
  You have your own idea based on what you want the answer to be.
8. Re:disconcerting by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 09:59 · Score: 0
  
  There's a theory that it might be due to earthquakes.
9. Re:disconcerting by youngone · 2017-02-12 10:03 · Score: 1
  
  Have a look at this then.
  There's a graphic that attempts to explain why there are lots of whale strandings at Farewell Spit and while it's fair to say that we don't know why it happens, the explaination sounds likely to me.
  This has been pretty big news here in New Zealand for the last few days, and I heard the Department of Conservation guy on the radio this morning say that the whales that swam off the beach had been moved by volunteers during the previous high tide, so I don't think it's such a mystery.
  Looks like he has been misquoted.
10. Re: disconcerting by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 11:51 · Score: 0
  
  There's another theory that they were so amused that humans have developed transgender washrooms that they had to come here see for themselves.
11. Re:disconcerting by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 12:17 · Score: 0
  
  We do know why, whales are kind of stupid. Yes contrary to what you're lead to believe, whales and dolphins, though they have a large brain to body mass, actually have like 1/3rd of the cells and exponentially less interconnects than human brains. So they are big headed retards. Kind of like really smart dogs. You ever see a dog eat its own young, what about its own shit? What about cat shit? What about write prose?
  Whales aren't magical sea creatures that are hyper intelligent, they corralled them selves because they are seriously fucking stupid. Whales have been racking themselves forever, if a leader whale does something stupid, all of the whales do it and that's that. Sorry to shit on your parade.
12. Re:disconcerting by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 12:23 · Score: 0
  
  Perhaps they have always been doing this, and self rescuing so we never noticed. It was only when humans came along and started stressing the whales with their attempts at rescuing them that they started dying on the beach before the tide came back in.
13. Re:disconcerting by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 13:38 · Score: 0
  
  Kind of like really smart dogs. You ever see a dog eat its own young, what about its own shit? What about cat shit?
  OK, eating their own young doesn't sound very smart but there are documented cases of humans doing the same in rough times.
  Eating their own shit or cat shit? That is disgusting but is it proof of being dumb?
  Without knowing the reason I wouldn't call it dumb.
  Perhaps it is the best way for them to get certain bacteria to parts of the digestive system that their own bodies can't manage on their own.
  Perhaps the shit wasn't digested properly and still contains a lot of nutrients.
14. Re:disconcerting by Highdude702 · 2017-02-12 15:48 · Score: 1
  
  "Eating their own shit or cat shit? That is disgusting but is it proof of being dumb? Without knowing the reason I wouldn't call it dumb."
  It's because they're fucking dumb! Only something dumb eats its own feces. And from what you said I'm assuming you've contemplated eating your own shit once or twice..fucking people these days.
15. Re:disconcerting by gravewax · 2017-02-12 19:07 · Score: 1
  
  They have done this throughout history. It isn't something new and their are many theories from changing currents that disorient them to natural variances in the magnetic field. Not all mysteries are solvable sadly, hopefully one day they do work it out and more importantly work out a method to prevent it.
16. Re:disconcerting by Anonymous+Curmudgeon · 2017-02-13 01:20 · Score: 1
  
  While it's good that some whales managed to escape, I find it extremely disconcerting that whales are beaching themselves en masse and we don't know why.
  One theory floated on the PBS New Hour was that the later beachers were responding to distress calls from the earlier beachers.
17. Re: disconcerting by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-13 07:42 · Score: 0
  
  Most animals would probably be more amused that we have gendered washrooms in the first place.
18. Re: disconcerting by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-13 14:25 · Score: 0
  
  Most animals would probably be more amused that we have rooms in the first place.
  FTFY!
Obvious by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 08:29 · Score: 1

The Japanese swooned in and nabbed em for "scientific research".
i saw that movie by turkeydance · 2017-02-12 08:31 · Score: 1

the Enterprise got 'em.
Natural selection at play by J.+T.+MacLeod · 2017-02-12 08:39 · Score: 4, Insightful

The lesson here is that returning beached whales to sea just returns them to the gene pool, harming the whale population at large.
If you want to save the whales, you must let the beach-weak whales die. If we keep returning them to the sea, we'll simply have a whale population that's dependent on humans to survive!
1. Re:Natural selection at play by wbr1 · 2017-02-12 09:18 · Score: 1
  
  If you want to se the whales on the otherhand... https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
  
  --
  Silence is a state of mime.
2. Re:Natural selection at play by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 10:37 · Score: 0
  
  careful, that's the kind of thinking Hitler used... my work is done here :P
3. Re:Natural selection at play by SuperKendall · 2017-02-12 11:00 · Score: 1
  
  Yes, everyone knows the ocean is... the final Solution. :-)
  
  --
  "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
4. Re:Natural selection at play by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 11:33 · Score: 0
  
  You're taking things a bit superficial.
  We don't know exactly why they beached, there's a reasonable chance we've got part of the blame.
  I'd also be skeptical that the our extraordinary intervention will get imprinted into their DNA for generations to come.
  Or you're just trolling, in that case you got me good.
5. Re: Natural selection at play by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 11:52 · Score: 1
  
  There is evidence that they did this millions of years ago. We have visual sightings for hundreds of years. Blaming humans is kinda ignorant.
6. Re:Natural selection at play by cyn1c77 · 2017-02-12 16:27 · Score: 1
  
  The lesson here is that returning beached whales to sea just returns them to the gene pool, harming the whale population at large.
  If you want to save the whales, you must let the beach-weak whales die. If we keep returning them to the sea, we'll simply have a whale population that's dependent on humans to survive!
  Your hypothesis assumes implicitly assumes that a survivable portion of the whale population can evolve to handle beaching events or not beach themselves.
  This may not be possible. Especially when you factor in that humans may be causing them to beach themselves.
  Some people believe that the whales are beaching themselves in response to human-induced stimulus (sonar, etc) that is literally driving them from the ocean because remaining in the water is causing them sufficient pain that they do not believe they can survive there.
  So what you really may end up with is no remaining whale population.
7. Re: Natural selection at play by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-13 00:58 · Score: 0
  
  Blaming humans is kinda ignorant.
  It may be ignorant but it's also the current hip fad.
Not entirely by themselves... by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 08:40 · Score: 0

One of them posted on Facebook as the ordeal happened. 1 like = 1 prayer means there was Devine intervention.
They can't be sure..or can they? by bogaboga · 2017-02-12 08:41 · Score: 1

"But they self-rescued, in other words the tide came in and they were able to float off and swim out to sea."

Maybe this is what happened...
"The tide was big enough that it took the dead whales with it out to sea..."
1. Re:They can't be sure..or can they? by mikaere · 2017-02-12 08:52 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Nah, we've had saturation coverage of this event here in Aotearoa New Zealand. The second pod has been closely monitored and they did actually swim off.
  
  --
  It's good luck to be superstitious
2. Re:They can't be sure..or can they? by bogaboga · 2017-02-12 08:58 · Score: 1
  
  Ok...but why not lift them one at a time and dump them into the sea? Or simply roll them onto a tarp and drag this together with the beast into deep waters?
  Better than see hundreds dead and then have to deal with the rotting flesh, right?
3. Re:They can't be sure..or can they? by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 09:10 · Score: 0, Insightful
  
  do you understand how big a whale is?
4. Re:They can't be sure..or can they? by Calydor · 2017-02-12 09:11 · Score: 1
  
  Because you don't just ROLL A WHALE onto a TARP and DRAG IT OFF.
  Seriously, that's cartoon level science.
  
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5. Re:They can't be sure..or can they? by PPH · 2017-02-12 09:54 · Score: 1
  
  Pilot whales. 2000 to 3000 kg. You could roll/drag one with a tractor.
  
  --
  Have gnu, will travel.
6. Re:They can't be sure..or can they? by baker_tony · 2017-02-12 11:47 · Score: 1
  
  Yes, I hear that whales love to be rolled over and dragged along land by their tails and being stuck in watery sand makes is so much easier to move them!
  Just as well they have loop-holes for the ropes too.
  Thanks for your scientific input, Trump.
7. Re:They can't be sure..or can they? by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 12:22 · Score: 0
  
  Yes, I hear that whales love to be rolled over and dragged along land by their tails and being stuck in watery sand makes is so much easier to move them!
  Just as well they have loop-holes for the ropes too.
  Thanks for your scientific input, Trump.
  You're a real asshole to someone who's trying to figure out how to help the whales with their minimal whale knowledge. Good job loser, why don't you use your massive brain and come up with an idea.
8. Re:They can't be sure..or can they? by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 12:27 · Score: 0
  
  Because you don't just ROLL A WHALE onto a TARP and DRAG IT OFF.
  Seriously, that's cartoon level science.
  I did just that the other day, your mom was pretty angry when she finally swam back though.
9. Re:They can't be sure..or can they? by PPH · 2017-02-12 12:32 · Score: 1
  
  You obviously have never seen dolphins carried in slings, lifted with cranes, etc. Some people have a pretty good idea of how to handle animals without harming them.
  
  whales love to be rolled over
  They may not love it. But it can be done.
  Some day, your parents are going to have to roll you up the basement stairs and out the front door to get a job. You probably won't like it much when it happens either.
  
  --
  Have gnu, will travel.
10. Re:They can't be sure..or can they? by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 12:46 · Score: 0
  
  Small whales may be dragged short distances by using a tarpaulin:
  The pectoral fin on one side is gently folded downwards against the animals belly.
  The animal is then rolled onto this side.
  The tarpaulin, half rolled up, is placed against the animals' belly.
  The other pectoral fin is gently folded downwards against the animals belly and the animal rolled onto that side on the tarpaulin.
  The tarpaulin is unrolled and the animal gently pushed back into an upright (sternal recumbency) position.
  The sides of the tarpaulin can be rolled up and used for carrying or if the animal is too heavy, dragging, the animal.
  Never drag a cetacean over rocks or shingle.
  Never drag a cetacean without using a tarpaulin
11. Re:They can't be sure..or can they? by baker_tony · 2017-02-12 12:47 · Score: 1
  
  "You obviously have never seen dolphins carried in slings, lifted with cranes, etc. "
  You're right! Could you please show me pictures of a 3 ton whale being lifted by a crane, on sand, in a place like farewell spit in NZ (wee hint, farewell spit is in the middle of nowhere and you'd have to get this crane a few Kms along the spit)? https://goo.gl/yt8kpV
  "They may not love it. But it can be done."
  so can keeping them wet until the tide comes back in. What the fuck do you think is easier?
  "Some day, your parents are going to have to roll you up the basement stairs and out the front door to get a job. You probably won't like it much when it happens either."
  OW OW OW!!! MY FEELINGS!!!! OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!! TOUGH GUY ON INTERNET TYPED BAD THINGS!!!!
  In the face of such stupidity, I'll leave you to consider reality, rather than this fantasy of cranes on a spit lifting whales stuck down in wet sand.
12. Re:They can't be sure..or can they? by gtall · 2017-02-12 23:14 · Score: 1
  
  Sure, we'll just use our Tractor-Boats we just got from Caterpillar-Marine. You can't miss them, big fluffy tires, whale winch in the back, long side poles to stick through the water into the sand because water doesn't present much in terms of friction. Their sales have been going through the roof too given the demand for punting beached whales back into the water.
Proper headline: "Stranded whales rescued by tide" by rundgong · 2017-02-12 08:41 · Score: 5, Funny

But I guess that seems completely normal, and would not generate any clicks...
Re:Proper headline: "Stranded whales rescued by ti by DontBeAMoran · 2017-02-12 09:21 · Score: 4, Funny

It would have made a hell of a good headline for Procter & Gamble though.

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Typical day at an American beach by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 09:24 · Score: 0

Sounds like a typical day at an American beach; hundreds of beached whales laying around. The main difference is that they have bathing suits on.
Full moon by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 09:36 · Score: 0

Equals higher tides. Just sayin'
Not disconcerting by Solandri · 2017-02-12 09:46 · Score: 4, Informative

Whatever the reason, it's a natural behavior. Contemporary documentation of strandings dates back to at least the 16th century. Archaeological evidence suggest a stranding about 12,000 years ago. And the earliest evidence is for a possible mass stranding is about 6-9 million years ago.

So these strandings have been happening for a very, very long time. There is no reason to be disconcerted. Interest in the reasons why should be purely academic until prove to be unnatural. While there has been evidence correlating strandings with man-made activities, per scientific standards the burden of proof is upon those advocating such theories to prove a causal relationship.
1. Re:Not disconcerting by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 11:00 · Score: 0
  
  Goddammit. I want to blame it on capitalism or submarines or something. Stupid whales beaching themselves for no useful reasons...
2. Re:Not disconcerting by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 11:13 · Score: 0
  
  Perhaps the modern whales have ancient behavioral triggers for avoiding those whale-eating sharks and predatory whales from millions of years ago.
3. Re:Not disconcerting by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 23:33 · Score: 0
  
  So these strandings have been happening for a very, very long time. There is no reason to be disconcerted.
  It's still troubling. In the 16th century the whale populations were much larger than now, so the occasional beachings would be absorbed. Still if it's normal behaviour you're not going to stop it, you can save them at best. What does need checking if that the strandings aren't becoming larger or more frequent, which could be the result of things like shipping (busy routes, sonar etc) and changing climate.
4. Re:Not disconcerting by T.E.D. · 2017-02-13 03:48 · Score: 1
  
  Whatever the reason, it's a natural behavior. Contemporary documentation of strandings dates back to at least the 16th century.
  In fact, I find it quite heartening that we, as humans, now react by gathering a crowd and equipment to try to save them. The historical reaction seems to have been to gather all your neighbors and equipment and cut up all the free meat and oil-blubber.
  If anyone is acting "unnaturally" here, its the humans.
Turns out they were only resting... by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 10:01 · Score: 0

...pining for the fjords.
1. Re:Turns out they were only resting... by rossdee · 2017-02-12 10:42 · Score: 1
  
  ".pining for the fjords."
  the fjords are at the other end of The South Island
2. Re:Turns out they were only resting... by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 10:55 · Score: 0
  
  And most of them aren't technically fjords!
We should BAN all New Zealand beaches. by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 10:09 · Score: 0

New Zealand beaches are obviously dangerous to sea life. We should ban all beaches in New Zealand.
Sonar by MrKaos · 2017-02-12 11:31 · Score: 1

A 200dB sonar ping underwater would be a great way to drive whales out of the ocean. The question is whose sonar ping was it.

--
My ism, it's full of beliefs.
1. Re: Sonar by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 14:45 · Score: 0
  
  US of course. The only country bold and disrespectful enough with their navy
Dumb fuckin fish! by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 11:33 · Score: 0

If wales is so godam smart why is they all drowning?
1. Re:Dumb fuckin fish! by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 11:51 · Score: 0
  
  No, no! Whales aren't supposed to be smart. They just never forget.
2. Re: Dumb fuckin fish! by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 11:53 · Score: 0
  
  Cause they was upset about the rugby result against England?
3. Re: Dumb fuckin fish! by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 11:54 · Score: 0
  
  Moron. Wales aren't fish, they're very very large slugs.
Just wondering by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 12:15 · Score: 0

We don't have the technology to put them back in the water?
Good! by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 17:29 · Score: 0

The whales self-deported to the ocean. New Zealand needs to build a wall and make Australia pay for it...
(Ducks). Quack!
Really the gov went home ? by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-12 23:07 · Score: 0

So the government agents went home for the night and didn't think to even set up a camera or tracking device ?
It's they who should be taken out to sea and shown how without tracking devices how to survive the sea...
Not a scientist among them so sad so sad...
Preperation by sabbede · 2017-02-13 00:49 · Score: 1

I think it's obvious what's happening here. Whales are beginning to make their move, training to invade the land and slip quietly back into the sea.
This is a war we can and must win! Lock up those literal race traitors at Greenpeace and join Japan in the race to save humanity from the terrors in the deep!
They simply identify with being land mammals. by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-13 03:13 · Score: 0

Nuff said.