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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Philip Hoare

Mass stranding of whales on Scottish beach caused by loyalty to their pod, report finds

Stranded whales on a beach.
Some of the stranded pilot whales in Tolsta, Isle of Lewis, in 2023. Photograph: Cristina McAvoy/AP

The mass stranding and death of 55 whales on the Isle of Lewis in 2023 was caused by the mammals’ loyalty to their pod, a report has concluded.

It had been thought that the unusually large incident on Tràigh Mhòr beach, Tolsta, could have been caused by trauma, disease or acoustic disturbance from military or industrially generated noise.

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