337 beached whales in Chile. The tragic death of whales in the remote waters of Patagonia is a phenomenon that frightens scientists and which at the moment appears completely inexplicable. Experts believe that the boreal whales are in a situation of grave danger.
337 beached whales in Chile. The tragic death of whale in remote waters of the Patagonia it is a phenomenon that scares scientists and that at the moment appears completely inexplicable. Experts believe that the boreal whales are in a situation of grave danger.
The discovery took place during a reconnaissance flight south of Chile. Never before have so many beached whales been sighted at one time in the world. Scientists have not yet examined the whales closely, but aerial images show 305 beached whales and 32 skeletons in an area between the Gulf of Penas and Puerto Natales, towards the southern tip of the continent, as National Geographic points out.
Le boreal whales unfortunately they are already considered to be at high risk of extinction. They can reach 19 meters in length and 50 tons in weight. They are able to move very fast and their life expectancy is between 50 and 70 years.
Usually they live in deep water, away from the coasts. One wonders then even more what are the causes of the death that led them to the beaches. The discovery was made thanks to an initiative supported by the National Geographic Society.
Now the researchers are preparing an article to be published in a scientific journal, but at the same time they believe that in the coming months they will return to this area to study the situation more closely.
So scientists are still trying to understand the causes of whale deaths, while the Chilean government has launched an investigation, given that these animals represent a protected species. In recent times, the red tides (rich in toxic microorganisms) occurring in this region have been identified among the possible causes of whale deaths.
Credits: Photographia di Vreni Haussermann
Credits: Photograph by Carolina Simon Gutstein
Researchers argue that the red tides they can be aggravated by the presence of waste water and fertilizer residues, but it is often difficult to trace the companies responsible for the event. However, we will have to wait for the investigations by scientists to understand the reasons for the mass disappearance of over 300 whales.
Marta Albè
Fonte foto: National Geographic
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