Scientists Seek Reason Behind 100 False Killer Whales Mysterious Death Near South Florida
One of the most beautiful animal species around the world is now facing a critical condition. A species of dolphin (Pseudorca crassidens) which is also known as ‘False Killer Whale’ for its size got stranded off. More than 80 dolphins aka false killer whales found dead at the Gulf Coast off Everglades National Park, Florida.
The rescue team found almost 100 false killer whales that stranded off of Everglades National Park. Most of them were found either dead or stranded. It is the largest mass death of false killer whale in the history of Florida. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) took some photographs and posted it on social media. In their photo, it is clearly visible that at least 82 were dead among the 95 stranded dolphins.
According to Mail Online report, those dolphins were found in the shallow water and they were tangled with the root of mangrove trees and the silty water. That place is about 54 miles north of the Florida and so remote to access.This condition creates difficulties for the rescue team. Nine out of 81 dolphins had to be humanely euthanized for this condition.
NOAA Fisheries Southeast Marine Mammal Stranding Network coordinator Blair Mase said in a statement,”The dolphins were scattered along the beach and deeply embedded into the mangrove shoreline, making response extremely difficult”. Although a rescue team is planning to assist false killer whales with the help of NOAA. As per the report by Smithsonian, they are also planning to conduct necropsies with the dead bodies of the dolphins. Necropsies are nothing but the autopsy for nonhuman creatures.
Research data suggests that male dolphins can grow 20 feet and females can grow up to 15 feet long. An adult dolphin can weigh up to 1,500 pounds. Those stranded dolphins also include juveniles, calves, and adults. It was first spotted on Saturday, last week.
Those dolphins can be found in large groups in warm waters. They have long, slender bodies and narrow, tapered heads with rounded snouts.They are much smaller and less aggressive than their distant relative the killer whale which is also known as ‘Orca’. Like Orcas, scientists classify them as dolphins rather than whales.
Although it is not the first case of stranding. In the year 1986, twenty-six false killer whales found beached near key west for the first time. However, Biologists are examining the dead dolphins in an effort to determine the cause of the stranding.
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