Experts say deaths caused by Navy Sonar !!!
the Outer Banks of North Carolina
At
least 31 Pilot Whales beached themselves on a cold Saturday morning back
on January 15, 2005. Some were washed back to sea at high tide while others
remained on the beach as the tide went out. In addition, a Minke whale
also beached itself in Corolla and 2 Draft Sperm Whale's stranded themselves
near Cape Hatteras. Sonar was suspected by scientists as the cause of
the mass whale beachings. The Aircraft Carrier Battle Group U.S.S. Teddy
Roosevelt was in the area (see below) with its support ships using sonar
to track two Attack Submarines that were also a part of the military exercise.
The unusual response of the whales was similar to other beachings that have occurred when the military uses their sonar during military exercises when whales and dolphins are nearby.
The sonar generates a new high level noise that is used to locate modern hidden submarines. Whales are especially receptive to this sonar. They possess a special organ near their brains that uses their own low level sonar to travel and communicate with. However, the military sonar is so intense that it can cause this special organ to begin bleeding and eventually lead to the whale’s death. Whales beach themselves when they come into contact with the high level military sonar in an effort to escape the painful and damaging effects of the powerful sonar.
The unusual response of the whales was similar to other beachings that have occurred when the military uses their sonar during military exercises when whales and dolphins are nearby.
The sonar generates a new high level noise that is used to locate modern hidden submarines. Whales are especially receptive to this sonar. They possess a special organ near their brains that uses their own low level sonar to travel and communicate with. However, the military sonar is so intense that it can cause this special organ to begin bleeding and eventually lead to the whale’s death. Whales beach themselves when they come into contact with the high level military sonar in an effort to escape the painful and damaging effects of the powerful sonar.
Rescurers collecting dead whales. photo by R Jarrell
Teams
of marine biologists, fighting against terrible weather conditions,
worked throughout the day on Sunday gathering tissue and fluid samples
from about 35-40 dead whales in their effort to learn what went wrong.
There are no firm answers yet said Barbie Byrd, a biologist with the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries service
(NOAA). Necropsies done on many of the bodies did bring one revelation
Sunday, three of the animals were found to be pregnant.
Lab tests on tissue and fluid samples taken from many of the whales
on Sunday are going out to academic labs all over the country, Byrd
said. Results should begin to trickle in within two weeks, but all the
results may not be available for two months. The nine -foot minke whale
that washed ashore in Corolla was euphonized... Its necropsy revealed
the whale was severely weak and had not been feeding for a while...
Of the two draft sperm whales found near Cape Hatteras, one was an adult
female that was later euphonized and the other one washed ashore dead.
Biologist Barbie Byrd, said “The Outer Banks gets a lot of marine
strandings because it sticks out so far and is close to the Gulf Stream,”
Byrd said. “But never like this.” “This is unusual,”
Byrd said. “The greatest number we had at one time around here
was three animals.” About 40 members of the NOAA-led Southeast
U.S. Stranding Network team were on the beaches Sunday, working at more
than 10 sites. The whales are expected to be buried near where they
remain...
So far, approximately 31 pilot whales have beached themselves along
the Outer Banks since early Saturday morning. They have been found from
South Nags Head south to Oregon Inlet, with a very large concentration
of Pilot Whales near the Coquina Beach area just across the road from
Pea Island Light House. Many of the whales were still alive and tumbling
along the surf as volunteers pulled them from the water.
Pilot
whales are communal and if one whale gets sick or decides to beach, all
of the remaining whales in the group will beach themselves to remain together
as a group.
Some scientists believe that Navy sonar has a damaging affect on whales and could be the cause of beaching fatalities such as this one. The dead whales will be dissected and studied for cause of death.
Pilot whales can reach 20 feet long and weigh up to three tons and live up the 65 years.
Coast Guard crews and National Park Service personnel are also assisting in the rescue and recovery of the whales. Seven of the Whales that were found alive had to be euthanized, while two others are believed to have been able to swim back into the sea.
The Stranding Network has advised the public to report any other beached whales to (305) 862-2850. Do not attempt to move or free any whale that is beached. Please contact those trained professionals who are coordinating the rescue.
We will update as news comes in.
It has been reported that the Aircraft Carrier Battle Group U.S.S. Teddy Roosevelt, has been doing military maneuvers in this area for several days. The battle group is usually composed of an Aircraft Carrier, Destroyer Guided-missile cruisers USS Anzio (CG 68) and USS Cape St. George (CG 71), guided guided-missile destroyers USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51), USS Porter (DDG 78) and USS Winston Churchill (DDG 81); destroyer USS Stump (DD 978); guided-missile frigate USS Carr (FFG 52); fast combat support ship USNS Arctic (T-AOE 8); and two attack submarines. It is not known for sure at this time if the military ships in the area had an affect on the whales that would have driven them to shore.
Source 1 , source 2
Some scientists believe that Navy sonar has a damaging affect on whales and could be the cause of beaching fatalities such as this one. The dead whales will be dissected and studied for cause of death.
Pilot whales can reach 20 feet long and weigh up to three tons and live up the 65 years.
Coast Guard crews and National Park Service personnel are also assisting in the rescue and recovery of the whales. Seven of the Whales that were found alive had to be euthanized, while two others are believed to have been able to swim back into the sea.
The Stranding Network has advised the public to report any other beached whales to (305) 862-2850. Do not attempt to move or free any whale that is beached. Please contact those trained professionals who are coordinating the rescue.
We will update as news comes in.
It has been reported that the Aircraft Carrier Battle Group U.S.S. Teddy Roosevelt, has been doing military maneuvers in this area for several days. The battle group is usually composed of an Aircraft Carrier, Destroyer Guided-missile cruisers USS Anzio (CG 68) and USS Cape St. George (CG 71), guided guided-missile destroyers USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51), USS Porter (DDG 78) and USS Winston Churchill (DDG 81); destroyer USS Stump (DD 978); guided-missile frigate USS Carr (FFG 52); fast combat support ship USNS Arctic (T-AOE 8); and two attack submarines. It is not known for sure at this time if the military ships in the area had an affect on the whales that would have driven them to shore.
Source 1 , source 2
picture
by R Jarrell
Looking
south at Coquina Beach R Jarrell
Pilot
Whales in Surf
source
Bruce
Ferrier, volunteer for NOAA, checking a still breathing Pilot Whale. Miraculously,
this Pilot Whale was seen swimming back into the sea at high tide.
R Jarrell
Photo courtesy of Louis& Ginny Mavredes Corolla, NC
The
Minke Whale that Beached in Corolla. This one was euthanized that afternoon.
The whale was only 1-2 days old.
Navy
Admits Sonar Use at Time of Whale
Beaching
Low Frequency Active sonar in action
US
Navy officials have admitted that the USS Kearsarge Expeditionary Strike
Group, based in Norfolk, was conducting an anti-submarine exercise at
the time of the recent whale strandings on the Outer Banks. The Navy said
a review of activities following the strandings concluded that a ship
used sonar for seven minutes about 90 nautical miles south-southeast of
Oregon Inlet. At least 37 whales beached themselves and died along the
North Carolina shore after the Navy vessels used powerful sonar as part
of the exercise. Most of the stranded whales were female, with six being
pregnant.
The possible connection between naval sonar and the deaths of whales and other marine mammals has become an increasingly controversial issue since the Navy acknowledged that the loud blasts of its sonar caused a mass stranding of whales in the Bahamas in 2000. Since then, critics have accused the Navy of involvement in numerous mass strandings in U.S. and international waters, and federal environmental officials have concluded that the loud pulses from active sonar cannot be ruled out as a cause.
The possible connection between naval sonar and the deaths of whales and other marine mammals has become an increasingly controversial issue since the Navy acknowledged that the loud blasts of its sonar caused a mass stranding of whales in the Bahamas in 2000. Since then, critics have accused the Navy of involvement in numerous mass strandings in U.S. and international waters, and federal environmental officials have concluded that the loud pulses from active sonar cannot be ruled out as a cause.
Rear
Adm. James Symonds indicated that Navy officials will not accept the idea
that sonar was the cause of a mass whale stranding that occurred on the
Outer Banks in January 2005. Another federal government organization,
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association also concluded after
research on the dead animals that the cause of the stranding was still
a mystery.
On January 15, 2005, more than 30 whales beached along North Carolina's Outer Banks. At the time of the strandings, the Aircraft Carrier Battle Group U.S.S. Teddy Roosevelt was in the area using sonar.
Private scientists have already connected the link between Navy sonar use and the stranded whales on the Outer Banks in 2005. However, governmental scientists appear afraid to come to the same conclusions for reasons that are unclear at the present time. Could it be they are afraid of losing their jobs if their conclusions do not match the current administration's expectations? Is that what we pay them for?
On January 15, 2005, more than 30 whales beached along North Carolina's Outer Banks. At the time of the strandings, the Aircraft Carrier Battle Group U.S.S. Teddy Roosevelt was in the area using sonar.
Private scientists have already connected the link between Navy sonar use and the stranded whales on the Outer Banks in 2005. However, governmental scientists appear afraid to come to the same conclusions for reasons that are unclear at the present time. Could it be they are afraid of losing their jobs if their conclusions do not match the current administration's expectations? Is that what we pay them for?
Navy
Seeks Sonar Testing Range off the Coast of North Carolina
The
Navy wants to establish a 500-square-nautical-mile underwater sonar testing
range off the coast of North Carolina. The Navy says a draft environmental
impact statement is near completion, and officials have said the range
is a high priority.
"The circumstances are troubling," said Michael Jasny, a lawyer for the Natural Resources Defense Council, which has sued the Navy on other sonar-related issues. "After so many whale deaths caused by sonar, these latest strandings are a red flag unfortunately, the Navy has a long history of denial."
The whales that beached themselves were under the protection of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. source
"The circumstances are troubling," said Michael Jasny, a lawyer for the Natural Resources Defense Council, which has sued the Navy on other sonar-related issues. "After so many whale deaths caused by sonar, these latest strandings are a red flag unfortunately, the Navy has a long history of denial."
The whales that beached themselves were under the protection of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. source
What
about Pilot Whales?
The
pilot whale has a distinct rounded head with a very slight beak and an
up-curved mouth line. In males the rounded head may protrude up to 4 inches
over the lower jaw. Its body is long and stocky with narrowing along the
tail line.
Males are much larger than females. Adult male’s measure up to 20 feet and weigh up to 3 tons. Adult female’s measure up to 16 feet and weigh up to 1.5 tons
The pilot whale feeds primarily on squid, although it has been known to eat octopus, cuttlefish, herring and other small fish when squid is unavailable. It has only 40 to 48 teeth, compared to 120 in many other dolphin species. Its teeth are used only for catching/grasping. An adult pilot whale may eat up to 30 pounds per day.
In Newfoundland, pilot whales have been seen hunting in groups to help concentrate their prey. One pod was observed entering a bay in a line, slowly closing the line into a circle, and trapping the prey in the center. Powerful high-pitched whistles appear to be involved in coordinating this activity.
Males reach sexual maturity at about 15 to 16 feet and 12 years of age. Females reach sexual maturity at about 12 feet and 6 to 7 years of age. Gestation lasts approximately 12 to15 months and calving occurs once every 3 to 5 years. Calves are generally 6 feet long at birth, and weigh about 225 pounds. The calf nurses for up to 22 months, with some evidence for longer lactation and extensive mother calf bonds. The males may compete for mates with fights involving butting, biting, and ramming. Mating also involves these activities, and some females carry scars from bites inflicted by males during the breeding season. Females have been observed to have calves as late as 35 years old, and lactate as late as 51. This evidence indicates that females may nurse their last calf until puberty (up to 10 years in males.
Pilot whales are found in tropical and temperate waters throughout the world. Short-finned pilot whales tend to be found in warmer waters, while cold and more temperate waters are preferred by the long-finned variety. There are some areas of overlap between the two species, but they remain segregated in most areas. Pilot whales are very social, and are most often found in groups of 20 to 90. Within these groups are at least some stable associations, usually between related females and their offspring. There are usually some males in these groups, but genetic evidence has shown that these males are not the fathers of the calves in the group. Several calves in one group may be fathered by the same male, indicating that a male can enter a group for a brief period and mate with more than one female.
Partly because of their social nature, pilot whales are often involved in mass strandings. In this century, mass strandings of as many as several hundred pilot whales at one time have been recorded. Although no one knows why these beachings occur, some may result from persistence to keep the group together. Other reasons may involve erratic navigation when following prey, when traveling (possibly due to irregularities in the magnetic field), or possible parasitic infections resulting in neurological disorders and sonar disturbances by the military.
Males are much larger than females. Adult male’s measure up to 20 feet and weigh up to 3 tons. Adult female’s measure up to 16 feet and weigh up to 1.5 tons
The pilot whale feeds primarily on squid, although it has been known to eat octopus, cuttlefish, herring and other small fish when squid is unavailable. It has only 40 to 48 teeth, compared to 120 in many other dolphin species. Its teeth are used only for catching/grasping. An adult pilot whale may eat up to 30 pounds per day.
In Newfoundland, pilot whales have been seen hunting in groups to help concentrate their prey. One pod was observed entering a bay in a line, slowly closing the line into a circle, and trapping the prey in the center. Powerful high-pitched whistles appear to be involved in coordinating this activity.
Males reach sexual maturity at about 15 to 16 feet and 12 years of age. Females reach sexual maturity at about 12 feet and 6 to 7 years of age. Gestation lasts approximately 12 to15 months and calving occurs once every 3 to 5 years. Calves are generally 6 feet long at birth, and weigh about 225 pounds. The calf nurses for up to 22 months, with some evidence for longer lactation and extensive mother calf bonds. The males may compete for mates with fights involving butting, biting, and ramming. Mating also involves these activities, and some females carry scars from bites inflicted by males during the breeding season. Females have been observed to have calves as late as 35 years old, and lactate as late as 51. This evidence indicates that females may nurse their last calf until puberty (up to 10 years in males.
Pilot whales are found in tropical and temperate waters throughout the world. Short-finned pilot whales tend to be found in warmer waters, while cold and more temperate waters are preferred by the long-finned variety. There are some areas of overlap between the two species, but they remain segregated in most areas. Pilot whales are very social, and are most often found in groups of 20 to 90. Within these groups are at least some stable associations, usually between related females and their offspring. There are usually some males in these groups, but genetic evidence has shown that these males are not the fathers of the calves in the group. Several calves in one group may be fathered by the same male, indicating that a male can enter a group for a brief period and mate with more than one female.
Partly because of their social nature, pilot whales are often involved in mass strandings. In this century, mass strandings of as many as several hundred pilot whales at one time have been recorded. Although no one knows why these beachings occur, some may result from persistence to keep the group together. Other reasons may involve erratic navigation when following prey, when traveling (possibly due to irregularities in the magnetic field), or possible parasitic infections resulting in neurological disorders and sonar disturbances by the military.
Latest
estimates on their populations make it likely there may be almost a million
long-finned pilot whales and at least 200,000 short-finned pilot whales
worldwide. Humans have taken advantage of the social nature of pilot whales.
"Drive fisheries," where groups are herded to the beach for
slaughter, have taken place on Cape Cod, Newfoundland, the Faroe, Shetland,
and Orkney Islands, Iceland, and Norway. The whales have been killed for
meat, bone, fertilizer, and oil. In some places, such as the Faroe Islands,
the kill continues today despite an obvious decrease in whale numbers.
One drive fishery in Newfoundland killed over 50,000 whales between 1951
and 1961, rapidly decreasing the number of pilot whales in Newfoundland
waters. Other kills have not had such a drastic effect.
Pilot whales are also being used by man as exhibition animals. They are displayed in many aquariums and zoos.source
Pilot whales are also being used by man as exhibition animals. They are displayed in many aquariums and zoos.source
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