Marine Directorate Report Finds Mass stranding of whales on Scottish beach caused by loyalty to their pod
Published: 10 March 2026
The 55 pilot whales, which had to be euthanised by SBOHVM researchers, are believed to have been following a female having a difficult birth.
It had initially been thought that the unusually large incident on Tràigh Mhòr beach, Tolsta, could have been caused by trauma, disease or acoustic disturbance from military or industrially generated noise.
However, the report, from the Scottish government’s Marine Directorate, cited “a convergence of biological, behavioural and environmental factors”, suggesting the long-finned pilot whales, a highly social species, died because the group had been following a female in the throes of a difficult birth.
Dr Andrew Brownlow, the lead scientist of the investigation by the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (Smass), said: “The Tolsta event is a reminder that mass strandings are rarely the result of a single cause. Rather, they emerge at the intersection of individual physiology, group social behaviour and external marine environmental conditions.
“Understanding how these factors interact is essential if we are to improve our capacity to anticipate, interpret and, where possible, mitigate the impacts of a changing ocean.”
The finding have important implications for a further stranding of 77 animals we reported on in 2025.
You can read a full story published in The Guardian.
First published: 10 March 2026
<< News