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Date Published: 25/01/2022

ARCHIVED - Probe into death of 10 dolphins and a whale washed up on Malaga coastline

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Marine scientists and the Andalucian government are analysing samples taken from the carcasses to determine the cause of death

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Probe into death of 10 dolphins and a whale washed up on Malaga coastline

The number of dolphin and whale carcasses washed up on the coast of Malaga this month has raised alarm bells and prompted an investigation into the cause of death.

In just over three weeks, at least 10 dead dolphins and a 14-metre whale have appeared on beaches in the Costa del Sol province, at least half of which appeared to be in "good condition".

Si el pasado jueves aparecía una ballena muerta en la Playa de Estepona hoy son delfines.
¿Que está pasando en la zona? pic.twitter.com/enQOY2yjpu
— TrailAndalucia (@TrailAndalucia) January 23, 2022

Conservationists from Aula del Mar and the Andalucian Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Environment have already collected samples from six of the 10 dolphins for analysis, whilst the director of the Centre for the Recovery of Endangered Marine Species (CREMA), José Luis Mons, believes the ingestion of plastics could have killed the whale.

The rotting carcass of the huge mammal first washed up on La Rada beach in Estepona last week before floating back to the port three days later.

According to Mons, episodes in which stranded sea animals accumulate in a short period of time are not common, "but sometimes occur".

"Sometimes there are peaks like this. A few years ago six dead pilot whales were washed up between December and January, and in situations like this we have to raise the alarm".

The CREMA director believes that the carcasses have been dragged to the coastline by recent strong winds and coastal phenomena.

"There are spells when there are two weeks of madness, and others when none appear at all," he added.

The widely distributed strandings have occurred in Malaga city, Estepona, Torrox, Marbella, Benalmádena and Nerja, and whilst samples are still being analysed, the marine scientist has suggested that in addition to the ingestion of plastics, oil or chemical spills could be responsible for the animals' deaths.

"Plastic materials frequently affect turtles and whales in particular, although not so much dolphins, which are more selective in their feeding."

Also of interest: Maritime speed limits proposed to protect whales and dolphins

Image: Ayuntamiento de Malaga

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