What caused nine whales to die on a lonely island beach?
Scientists struggling to understand why nine sperm whales beached and died in Tasmania this week have been blocked from one line of investigation by the giant scale of the task. The size of the whales has ruled out an autopsy that might discover any physical injury that might have been caused by loud man-made noises. Such noises have been linked directly to whale injury and stranding in recent court battles won by environment advocates in the United States. Clear evidence of bleeding and tissue damage around the ears of dead beaked whales led to the halting of US navy sonar experiments, and a seismic survey using airguns. Sonar blamed for strandings in the northern hemisphere is not used by the Royal Australian Navy, a Defence Department spokeswoman said. Seismic work is under way in south-eastern waters – but about 500 kilometres from the stranding site, according to Environment Australia.
