Tragic scenes on Orkney island of Sanday as pod of 77 pilot whales found on the shore in Scotland’s worst mass stranding for decades

It is becoming a depressingly familiar sight on shorelines around the world.

Now Scotland has suffered one if its largest ever mass strandings of whales after 77 beached on the Orkney islands.

Dozens of pilot whales were found dead or dying on Tresness Beach, on the island of Sanday, on Thursday morning.

Rescuers were confronted by the horrifying scene of 65 of the animals already dead, with a further 12 of the long-finned whales still alive four hours later.

But hopes were fading last night of being able to save the remaining dozen, thought to have already been out of the water overnight before being found.

This was the distressing scene that greeted marine rescue workers after the large pod of pilot whales became stranded on Tresness Beach on Sanday

The Orkney stranding comes almost a year after a pod of 55 pilot whales beached themselves on the Isle of Lewis

The stranding came almost exactly a year after a similar incident on the Isle of Lewis involving 55 pilot whales – of which just one survived.

Among the group on Sanday were males up to 22ft long, females, calves and juveniles.

Scientists have so far been unable to say exactly why whales beach, or why the numbers of strandings along Britain’s shores are increasing.

British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) said it ‘received a report of a mass stranding of up to 100 long-finned pilot whales’ on Sanday at about 10.45am.

A spokeswoman added: ‘Our regional team was immediately mobilised with response equipment to make their way over to the island, whilst we waited for more information on the situation form the small number of medics already on Sanday that were on their way to the scene.

‘There were 77 animals high up the beach having evidently been stranded for several hours already. We think they have been stranded overnight.

‘Only 12 are still alive with health assessments and first aid provided as the incoming tide approaches.’

She said described the situation ‘incredibly difficult’ adding: ‘This is definitely up there among the largest mass-strandings in Scotland.

‘The last one was on the Isle of Lewis almost exactly a year ago on July 16, 2023 when 55 pilot whales were stranded with only one successfully refloated.

‘Pilot whales are incredibly social animals and develop deep emotional bonds so if one of the pod strands the rest of the pod usually follows.

‘Survival depends on how quickly we manage to get to them. These ones have been stranded quite a while, probably overnight, and have been there for hours.’

The Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme (SMASS) will carry out autopsies to establish the potential cause for the stranding.

Last year’s incident in the Outer Hebrides was thought to have come after a female experienced issues with birthing although experts were also probing potential underwater noise that might have distress the group.

The SMASS said at the time: ‘This would have caused obvious stress to the individual, and due to the close family ties of this species, could have potential further significance for all of the members of the pod.’

Examinations of the carcasses showed no wounds or signs the pod had been hit by vessels or been tangled in nets or ropes. There was no evidence the animals had ingested plastics or any other debris with thick blubber suggesting a seemingly healthy group.

In the end the primary cause of death was drowning due to stranding.

The Orkney incident is believed to be the largest since 1995.

In 2011, around 70 long-finned pilot whales were stranded in Kyle of Durness, Sutherland. Subsequent investigation discovered the animals to be in good health with no obvious injuries and a report in the event concluded ‘munitions disposal operations’ nearby on the day before and during the stranding ‘was the only external event with the potential to cause’ the tragedy.

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