2018 Argentina dolphin stranding

2018, March 25. Argentina, El Doradillo, Golfo Nuevo, Península Valdés, Puerto Madryn. (42° 38’ S, 64° 58’ W). Northern patagonia. Protected Natural Area. 68 short-beaked common dolphins. 47 died and 21 were returned to sea. Of the dead 29 were male and 18 were female.

In the maps below is a bolide detected 8 days before the stranding. It was the only one detected after an airburst to the south over a year before that had an energy of 130,000 kg/TNT. The beaching was blamed on a killer whale attack. This was correct as observations of such behavior has been seen off Tasmania. The reason is that killer whales tend to run down animals in a vulnerable state. It wasn't a panic stranding, caused by atmospheric activity. If it was a split stranding (as seen), they would all be dead. The dolphins were survivors of an airburst event, with a large portion of animals dying before the stranding. The area in the South Atlantic was the most active on earth in the 6 months prior and post-stranding, with four events in the two months before the dolphins came to shore.

Bolide Home (nasa.gov)

Fireballs (nasa.gov)