Mass Pilot Whale stranding NZ
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: troposphere
Posts: 781
Mass Pilot Whale stranding NZ
'It's the worst whale stranding we have ever seen' - National - NZ Herald News
400 whales stranded themselves.Very sad
Don't think science has discovered definitively why this happens.Lots of theories.
400 whales stranded themselves.Very sad

Don't think science has discovered definitively why this happens.Lots of theories.
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: A proton gradient.
Posts: 61
They are not citizens of NZ and are not protected by the NZBOR neither are they protected by the ToW
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: New Zealand
Age: 75
Posts: 508
Mass strandings like this were apparently more common in the past before the advent of commercial whaling.
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: UK.
Posts: 4,391
The Exploding Sperm Whale
Just as well the marine biologist didn't have a fag in his mouth.
(Yes, I formed the impression that they feared that would happen)
Just as well the marine biologist didn't have a fag in his mouth.
(Yes, I formed the impression that they feared that would happen)

Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Norfolk
Age: 66
Posts: 1
John Hill
I wasn't referring specifically to New Zealand. The remains of mass whale strandings have been unearthed by archeologists all around the world. In the northern British Isles such strandings were pretty much an annual event and eagerly anticipated by the indigenous population. The whales supplied meat, oil and bone, all materials that were put to good use. I can't believe that other people around the world didn't also take advantage of such bounty delivered free by the sea. New Zealand would certainly have had mass strandings in the past and doubtless the remains are there if anyone cares to look. Or perhaps there are Maori legends that tell a story of whales coming to shore.
I wasn't referring specifically to New Zealand. The remains of mass whale strandings have been unearthed by archeologists all around the world. In the northern British Isles such strandings were pretty much an annual event and eagerly anticipated by the indigenous population. The whales supplied meat, oil and bone, all materials that were put to good use. I can't believe that other people around the world didn't also take advantage of such bounty delivered free by the sea. New Zealand would certainly have had mass strandings in the past and doubtless the remains are there if anyone cares to look. Or perhaps there are Maori legends that tell a story of whales coming to shore.
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: surfing, watching for sharks
Posts: 3,864
If the whales are disposed of at sea, I'd be wary of swimming or surfing in the general area. It's like ringing the dinner bell for sharks. Happened a number of times here and the effect was a greater number of sharks sighted.
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: with the other ex-CX pond scum (a zoologist was once head of Flight Ops)
Posts: 1,796
Last edited by Captain Dart; 13th Feb 2017 at 03:48.