Cetacean Information ... or What to do if a whale lands on your doorstep
Island life certainly does lend itself to finding more than fairies at the bottom of the garden from time to time!
Unfortunately, cetaceans are being washed up throughout the Hebrides all the time but do provide useful clues for marine scientists. Sperm whales prefer to feed in deeper waters, but nonetheless are occasional visitors to the waters around Coll. The specimen described had probably been in an advanced state of decay before being washed up and at 30ft was probably a young male yet to reach the mature length of 65ft. It is often hard to identify animals in such condition, so it is unsurprising that it appeared to be a tusked monster. The "tusk" itself could have been an upper jaw bone, which rather than having teeth would have held a row of sockets into which lower teeth would have slotted.
To be confronted with such a sight on your doorstep no doubt causes some consternation but there are some steps which can be taken. Firstly, it is worth notifying HWDT - marine research is such that all opportunities to study marine mammals have to be taken! Blubber samples can be taken which can indicate the cause of death and more importantly the level of pollutants in the tissue. Whales and dolphins are at the top of the food chain and therefore contaminants tend to accumulate within them, causing them to be an indicator of the state of the seas. Where possible, the stomach contents will be emptied to discover what the creature has been feeding on. The animal will also be given a thorough visual examination to look for identifiable markings or wounds, then measured and photographed. Depending on the species, this data can be fed into international databases tracking the fate of individual cetaceans. Once a post-mortem has been carried out, there is the inevitable question of disposal.
Whale and dolphin skeletons can be useful teaching aids and items of curiosity, however, few people wish to live down-wind of such a decaying resource. The chances of such a stranding occurring outside your home are thankfully slim. Most strandings occur in isolated areas, open to Atlantic gales and can be left alone without providing a health risk. Unless you can leave the body in-situ without presenting a health risk, the best method by which you can retrieve bones is to bury the carcass and allow soil bacteria to do the rest. Museums and universities (and the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust!) are always interested in whalebones and teeth so please do bear this in mind should you come across any.
Should you encounter a live stranding, time really is of the essence and freeing the animal should not be undertaken without skilled guidance. Again, contact the HWDT or the Scottish Stranding Network, a team of trained and well – equipped specialists. Overheating is the main threat to stranded creatures, not running out of air since these too are mammals like ourselves. Strandings can occur at any time of year and to any species, although they are still unexplained in the majority of cases. If the situation is responded to in time, there is high chance of returning the creature to the water unharmed.
Should you come across a live or dead whale stranding, please inform:
Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust -
Tel: 01688 302620
(outwith office hours tel: 01688 302691)
