Rare stranding of seven killer whales off Queensland's Fraser Island

[Emily]

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/17854478/beached-whales-swim-free-from-qld-island/

Beached whales swim free from Qld island
By Petrina Berry, AAP Updated July 3, 2013, 3:47 pm
A rare stranding of seven killer whales off Queensland's Fraser Island has ended, after the surviving five were successfully refloated.
[snip]
Sea World's marine expert Trevor Long says there are not many killer whale strandings worldwide let alone off Queensland's coast.

He says they are smart animals and rarely ventured into shallow waters...

 

[Emily]

Re: Rare stranding of seven killer whales off Queensland's Fraser Island

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/beached-killer-whales-rescued-off-fraser-island-but-marine-experts-fear-for-pod-survivors/story-fnihsrk2-1226673943393

Beached killer whales rescued off Fraser Island but marine experts fear for pod survivors
Kathleen Donaghey, Brian Williams
The Courier-Mail
July 04, 2013 6:13PM
[snip]
University of Queensland researcher Michael Noad and Sea World's Trevor Long said they were amazed at the beaching, thought to be the first killer whale beaching in Australia.

The creatures commonly hunt in shallow water and have no issues navigating in such conditions.

Mr Long said in 40 years of marine research he knew of just one other such incident.

Dr Noad said it was common for deep water species such as minke and sperm whales to become disoriented in shallow water.

"But killer whales are quite at home in shallows,'' he said. "This is a very strange thing. My best guess is that one of them might be ill and the others just followed it in.''
[snip]
A marine veterinarian will take blood samples from the two deceased whales to determine if the strandings were due to poor health.

Freedom Whale Watchers owner Sue Reid said killer whale sightings, particularly near the sandbar islands west of Fraser Island, were extremely uncommon.

"Occasionally the odd humpback will go down as far as Kingfisher, but I think instinctively they know it gets very shallow down there and they don't go that way," she said.

"It is very unusual for any whales (to be in that location).''...