Massive rise in mammals stranded on Scottish beaches in past 30 years, study finds

From 1992 to 2022, 5,147 cetaceans died on Scottish shores, and a new paper shows huge increases in strandings with some species seeing up to 800 per cent more during the period, which has continued exponentially.

The Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (Smass) at the University of Glasgow followed this summer's rare spate of deep-diving whales washing up on northern European shores.

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In just over a fortnight, 36 beaked whales and pilot whales were found in locations such as western Ireland, eastern England, Orkney, the Netherlands and Sweden.

The animals appeared to have gotten into shallower seas where they were unable to find their usual food sources.

The shocking scales provoked widespread concern among academics and volunteer groups working to save stranded whales.

Dr Andrew Bronlow, director of Smass, told the Guardian: "Clusters of beaked whales should raise suspicions."

Researchers believe sonic disturbance is causing deep-diving whales to strand as they find their navigational abilities disrupted.

Rachel Lennon, lead author of the paper in the journal Scientific Reports, said that in Scotland "sources of anthropogenic noise are abundant, including seismic survey air guns and drilling from industrial construction".

Dr Bronlow also noted that the "globally unprecedented number" of 118 stranded beaked whales off Ireland and western Scotland in 2018 was traced to a single sound source off the continental shelf.

The paper also showed an increase in the number of stranded common dolphins and harbour porpoises, which are vulnerable to collisions with leisure boats.