Poor sperm whale

[Elaine]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/8334553.stm

[Moli]

So sad, wonder what makes the beach themselves like that....

[Kim]

That's really sad. :(

[angieh]

Poor creature - maybe it died of natural causes?

[Mags]

That's very sad :(

[Elaine]

They wont know until an autopsy has been done. I think it was removed from the beach yesterday afternoon. It was believed to be dead before it was beached.

[dandysmom]

Happens too often. I do wonder of all the undersea sonar is disrupting them?

[Moli]

Such a sad end for such a magnificent animal..........:(

[Kazz]

I think its something that has happened for many many years one of the most reasonable explanations I heard was the whales/dolphins/sharks...get almost like an inner ear infection sort of thing that ruins their sonar (for want of a better word) their sonar that guides them through the seas. It has been happening since records began beaching of whales...etc, such a shame though.

[Elaine]

I didnt think that sperm whales were native to our shores.

[dandysmom]

I didnt think that sperm whales were native to our shores.

Found this, Elane:

The sperm whale is the largest odontocete, or toothed whale. It has been portrayed frequently in art and literature as a symbol of the great whales, and is best known as the leviathan Moby Dick in Melville's novel by that name. Unique in appearance, the sperm whale seems to have social characteristics that, to date, also appear to be unique among whales. Sperm whales are among the deepest diving cetaceans, and are found in all oceans of the world. Females and their young travel in permanent units, whereas the much larger males rove between breeding and feeding grounds, as well as among groups of females when breeding. (http://www.catsey.com/The%20sperm%20whale%20is%20the%20largest%20odontoc ete,%20or%20toothed%20whale.%20It%20has%20been%20p ortrayed%20frequently%20in%20art%20and%20literatur e%20as%20a%20symbol%20of%20the%20great%20whales,%2 0and%20is%20best%20known%20as%20the%20leviathan%20 Moby%20Dick%20in%20Melville%27s%20novel%20by%20tha t%20name.%20Unique%20in%20appearance,%20the%20sper m%20whale%20seems%20to%20have%20social%20character istics%20that,%20to%20date,%20also%20appear%20to%2 0be%20unique%20among%20whales.%20Sperm%20whales%20 are%20among%20the%20deepest%20diving%20cetaceans,% 20and%20are%20found%20in%20all%20oceans%20of%20the %20world.%20Females%20and%20their%20young%20travel %20in%20permanent%20units,%20whereas%20the%20much% 20larger%20males%20rove%20between%20breeding%20and %20feeding%20grounds,%20as%20well%20as%20among%20g roups%20of%20females%20when%20breeding.)

All oceans.

[Elaine]

Ah ok, thanx Eileen;)