Massive whale stranding, Chile Beach. A graveyard has been created by a massive whale stranding. Experts claim it’s one of the most significant strandings. Vreni Haussermann (Biologist, Huinay Scientific Field Station), was interviewed by the Associated Press. She and other scientists discovered the discovery during an inspection flight above the south Patagonia region’s fjords. Dr. Haussermann has been collecting samples since the discovery. Haussermann claims to have some ideas about why so many whales ended up at the beach. She declined to reveal the details, but said they would be published in an academic journal. Scientists have yet to explain why so many dead whales were washed up on the beaches. (Image by El Dinamo). No one seems to be able to explain why these whales died. However, human intervention has been excluded. Researchers reported 305 carcasses of whales and 32 bones from satellite and aerieal images taken in the area of Puerto Natales. This is also known as the Golfo de Pemas, which means Gulf of Distress. El Dinamo reported that there were a few stranded whales in the Golfo de Penas. However, the majority of them were located near Puerto Natales. Terra Chile quotes Dr. Haussermann saying that it was impossible to estimate the number of skeletons during the flight because of speed and altitude. Image: vreni.anthozoa.info. El Dinamo quotes Dr. Haussermann as saying (translated from Spanish): “The whales that we saw during flight were the same size, and the shape makes it most probable they are sei whales.” We don’t know much about the sei whale population in southern hemisphere because their habitat is far away from the coast.
Chile: 337 whales found
