The death of a pod of 55 pilot whales after they became stranded on a Scottish beach shocked marine life enthusiasts throughout the world this week.
The pilot whales died after they washed up on Traigh Mhor beach in North Tolsta on the Isle of Lewis last Sunday.
According to the marine experts, this was the worst mass whale stranding in the area in recent times.
According to The Independent, scientists have provided a new theory about what caused the mass whale stranding on a Scottish beach.
The news portal further reported that while the cause of the stranding was not immediately known, experts said that pilot whales have strong social ties, so when one "gets into difficulty and strands, the rest follow". The British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) initially stated one of the dead whales had a vaginal prolapse and "it's currently suspected that the whole pod stranded due to one female giving birth".
However, researchers from the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS), who conducted post-mortem examinations on three of the "top priority animals" said what was earlier believed to be a prolapse was actually a placenta, highlighting "issues with birthing".
"This would have caused obvious stress to the individual, and due to the close family ties of this species, could have potential further significance for all of the members of the pod," they wrote in an Instagram post. "Further analysis over the next several days will help us to better understand what happened."
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