Sick pilot whale 'helped by caring pod' before death

Metro.co.uk: Sick pilot whale 'helped by caring pod' before death
A sick whale was supported by members of its pod before it succumbed to an infection and died off the Scottish coast, marine experts have said.

The stricken female pilot whale was spotted with a group of about 60 others before the illness caused it to become stranded in shallow water.

Its body was recovered from Loch Carnan, South Uist, an island in the Outer Hebrides.

A preliminary post-mortem examination on the whale by Dr Andrew Brownlow of the Scottish Agricultural College found potential evidence of an infection in the animal’s melon, a fatty organ found in the forehead.

It also showed external injuries to the whale were not enough to cause its death. Further tests indicate the creature was coming to the end of its lactation period after motherhood and rescuers said they hoped the mammal’s young calf would have been fully weaned.

Dave Jarvis, of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue, said: ‘It appears that what has been witnessed is a group of these extremely social creatures accompanying an ill individual and that the infection may have caused this animal to strand. Despite an extensive search, there have been no sightings of the remainder of the pod.’

Pilot whales were almost stranded in the same sea loch last October. Less than a week later, 33 whales believed to be the same group were found dead on a beach in Co Donegal, Ireland.

The species prefer deep water but come inshore to feed on squid, their main food. Last week a stranded pilot whale died in the Sullom Voe inlet, Shetland.