Cetacean strandings
Cetacean strandings occur when whales, dolphins, or porpoises become trapped or unable to return to deeper water. They may involve one animal or many.
Cetacean echolocation: A biological sonar system in which cetaceans emit sounds and interpret returning echoes. Echolocation helps cetaceans navigate, but its role in some strandings remains uncertain.
Farewell Spit: A long sandspit at the northern end of New Zealand's South Island. Its shallow, gently sloping waters have hosted repeated mass strandings.
Cetacean stranding response: The assessment, rescue, care, or recovery of cetaceans found stranded. Response teams assess animals and coordinate safe refloating or humane outcomes.
Mass stranding: An event in which multiple cetaceans strand at the same time or in close succession. The causes of mass strandings remain difficult to separate from group behavior and local conditions.
Marine mammal conservation: The protection and management of marine mammals, their populations, and their habitats. Stranding records can inform conservation priorities and assessments of population health.
Tidal trapping: The capture of animals in a shallow area as the tide recedes. A falling tide can leave cetaceans on exposed flats before they can escape.
Project Jonah: A New Zealand marine-mammal welfare organization that trains volunteers for stranding response. Its volunteer network has been central to rescues at New Zealand mass strandings.
Cetacean refloating: The return of a stranded cetacean to water deep enough for it to swim freely. Refloating is a common intervention when an animal is stable and conditions permit.
Anthropogenic noise: Sound generated by human activities, including shipping, construction, and military sonar. Some sound exposures have been linked to strandings, but risks differ by source and circumstance.
Cetacean welfare: The physical and behavioral well-being of whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Heat, dehydration, pressure from body weight, and stress can quickly threaten stranded animals.