A pod of whales have died after becoming stranded on a beach in Orkney, a Scottish island, this week.
The 77 whales washed up in Sanday yesterday morning, Thursday July 11, and although there were 12 surviving whales, they had to be euthanized after spending too much time on shore.
The strange occurrence was reported to the British Drivers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), who said medics did all they did to save them, but sadly their efforts were in vain.
However, officials have no idea what the cause behind the mass stranding is.
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The mammals, long-finned pilot whales, are very social animals, but that could mean if one from the pod became stranded, they may have followed.
Officials have said they have begun post-mortem investigations after the whales died on Orkney beach.
Scientists have said they travel in large groups and can become disturbed from threats in the sea, such as killer whales, or noise.
It’s not the first time it has happened, with 55 pilot whales also dying from a mass stranding last summer at Traigh Mhor beach on the Isle of Lewis.
At the time BDMLR said they believed one of the whales had a vaginal prolapse and the entire pod stranded over her giving birth.
Sadly all of the animals died.
The name came from a theory each pod is piloted by a single leader, but that was later proved untrue, however, the moniker remained.
Although they have whale in their name, they are more like large dolphins, and are the second biggest member of the oceanic dolphin family, behind orcas.
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