Australia and New Zealand cetacean and meteor activity in May

2025, May 12. New Zealand, inland North Island between Rotorua and Taupo. Seen at Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay, Waikato and Wellington in locations 440km apart. Fireball. Time: around 07:57 UT. Travelling west to east.

2025, May 18. New Zealand, North Island, Waiheke, Onetangi Beach. Dead Pygmy Cachalot.

2025, May 19. Tasmania, Hobart. Fireball. Time: Around 20:32. Looking towards the west/south west. Duration: 6 sec.

2025, May 19. South Australia, Largs Bay. A dolphin calf washed ashore dead.

2025, May 21. New Zealand, North Island. Small Fireball. Time: 22:38. Travelling west to east over water between the mainland and Rangitoto Island north of Auckland.

2025, May 21. New Zealand, South Island, Westport, Carters Beach. Dead Pygmy Sperm whale.

2025, May 30. New Zealand, North Island, north of Auckland. Fireball. Seen in Waikato Region. Travelling SSW. Time: 21:42NZST and around 09:27 UT.

Whale strands and dies in Vietnam

2025, May 31. Vietnam, Ninh Chu estuary in Tri Hai Commune, Ninh Hai District. A four-meter-long whale stranded and died. The cetacean was still alive when discovered by local fishermen who tried to return it to sea. However, it died while being towed near Khanh Hoi Village. Following local customs, the whale's carcass was brought to the Nam Hai temple for worship and traditional burial rites. Whales in Vietnam are reverently called 'Ca ong' (Lord Whale) and are believed to bring blessings.

Update: 2025, May 31. South Africa, Morgan Bay Beach. Dead dolphin.

Second large fireball in China creating sonic boom

2025, May 31. China, Beijing. Large Fireball. Time: 02:51. Sonic boom reported. Residents in several Beijing districts were jolted awake early Saturday by a thunderous explosion around 3 am, with some witnessing a dramatic burst of light illuminating the night sky, Beijing Daily reported on Saturday. This event comes two days after the fireball in Maoming city, Guangdong Province. Official statement: "Our monitoring stations recorded the event. Combined with some videos posted by netizens, we observed the typical green 'fireworks' like phenomenon. It moved very fast and exploded violently. What streaked across the Beijing night sky was a bolide," said Li Zhenye, a postdoctoral researcher at School of Astronomy and Space Science under UCAS, which recorded the precise event time at 2:51 am on Saturday, according to Beijing Daily.

Image: Beijing Daily  

Update on San Francisco Gray Whale strandings after another fireball in region

2025, May 28. USA, California, San Francisco Bay. Fireball. Time: 23:23PDT. Traveling west to east.

6 gray whales have died in San Francisco in the past week as authorities scramble for answers - ABC News

Large Meteor Fireball in China

2025, May 28. China, over Maoming, Guangdong Province. Large Fireball. Time: around 21:33. Duration: 6 seconds. Loud sonic boom heard. Its trajectory was from northeast to southwest, and it is believed to have either disintegrated completely or fallen into the South China Sea, as no ground impact or meteorite debris has been found. The brightness was so extreme that it startled people who witnessed it — even flocks of ducks in nearby farms were frightened and scattered in panic. According to multiple surveillance camera recordings, the meteor had a light trail that shifted from orange-yellow to blue-green and was far brighter than a typical meteor. Maoming’s Emergency Management Bureau conducted overnight inspections and reported no property damage. Authorities urged the public not to panic. Government departments and astronomical institutions continue to monitor the situation and have found no unusual impacts. Preliminary estimates suggest the meteor's energy was comparable to the fireball meteor event over the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in 2020.

14 whales dead in Greater Bay area this year

2025, May 26. USA, California, Alcatraz. Suspected Grey whale. Undetermined (no necropsy performed).

2025, May 26. USA, California, Point Bonita. Grey whale. Undetermined (no necropsy performed). Five gray whales have died in the greater Bay Area over the past week. So far this year, 14 whale deaths have been reported—13 gray whales and one minke whale. Of the gray whales, three are suspected or likely to have died due to vessel strikes. The causes of death for the remaining whales have not yet been determined. San Francisco Bay has seen an "unusually high" number of whale sightings this year, with 33 gray whales observed compared to just four in 2024. Approximately one-third of these whales have remained in the Bay for 20 days or more. Their body conditions have ranged from normal to emaciated.

2025, May 27. Thailand, Ranong, Kei Ton at Bang Ben beach. A female Cuvier's beaked whale. Body size 510 cm long. Length of the body 220 cm.

2025, May 27. South Africa, St Helena Bay on the Cape West Coast. Juvenile dead Humpback whale.

2025, May 27. India, Alappuzha, near Azhikodan Nagar. Dead dolphin.

Source: California Academy of Sciences

Triple Cetacean deaths in Canary Islands and Northern Ireland

2025, May 25. Northern Ireland, Portstewart Strand. Dead juvenile Minke whale on the beach.

2025, May 25. Philippines, Mayo Bay, Davao Oriental. A dead pygmy or dwarf sperm whale.

2025, May 25. Philippines, Balayan, Batangas. Dead Whale Shark.

2025, May 25. Canary Islands, Fañabé Beach in Costa Adeje. The body of a baby short-finned pilot whale was recovered. This is the third dead cetacean found in Canary Island waters this week.

2025, May 25. Alaska, north of Gambell. Dead bowhead whale. No sign of wounds to indicate what killed it. In a state of moderate decomposition.

2025, May 25. USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Berkeley Pier. Dead Grey whale.

Added Data: 

2025, May 6. Nigeria, Andoni. A dead whale was located at sea. Pulled to shore by locals for human consumption. Government officials warn people not to do this, however, they do it anyway. 

2025, May 16. Hong Kong, Yi Long Wan, Lantau. Finless porpoise.

2025, May 17. Hong Kong, Tai Long Wan, Lantau. Finless porpoise.

Alaska

Northern Ireland

Whale dies in English Channel after two Fireballs

2025, May 22. English Channel. Fireball. Time: 22:01 UT;2025-05-23 00:01CEST. Almost identical to the event below, two days later, just further out into the sea. Seen in France and the Netherlands.  

2025, May 24. Bangladesh, Cox's Bazar sea. A 50-kilogram Irrawaddy dolphin was rescued.

2025, May 24. USA, California, New Brighton State Beach. Dead dolphin.

2025, May 24. English Channel. Fireball. Observed in France, Belgium, Germany, UK and the Netherlands. A sonic boom with concurrent and delayed properties was observed. Travelling SW over the mouth of the River Somme. 2025-05-24 Time: 00:00 or 22:03 UT May 23rd.  

2025, May 24.  English Channel, Guernsey, Channel Islands, Chouet Beach. Dead whale.

2025, May 24. South Africa, Struisbaai on the plaat. A cachalot (sperm whale) washed ashore alive but died. There have been two meteor airbursts within regional stranding parameters, one on March 29 and the other on April 8. See April 1st and April 9th posts regarding Marine Animal Disturbance Alerts. 

Sperm Whale in South Africa. 

Large Long Duration Fireball in Fiji

2025, May 23. Fiji. Large Fireball. Duration: +1m. Fijians witnessed a fast-moving meteor. Fiji Met said it was debris from Halley's Comet.  

Cetacean Deaths and Two Fireballs Updated 20250524

2025, May 19. South Africa, Wild Side of Robberg Nature Reserve. A juvenile humpback whale, approximately 7 meters in length, stranded in the surf. It was determined by authorities that euthanasia was the only option.

2025, May 20. UK, Northumberland, Newbiggin. Dead dolphin.

2025, May 22. Northern Ireland, Holywood’s Seapark Beach in Co Down. Dead dolphin. Second stranding in NI in a week. The following event happened 12 days prior. 2025, May 10. Irish Sea. Fireball. Time: 22:26BST, 21:18 UT. Travelling NNW near the west coast of Northern Ireland.

2025, May 20. Pacific, USA, California. Fireball Time: 23:34PDT or May 21st 2025 around 06:36 UT. Traveling NE. Entered the atmosphere approximately 100km NW of San Francisco Bay.

2025, May 21. USA, California, off Mare Island in Vallejo. Adult female gray whale. This is at least the seventh dead whale that has washed up along a Bay Area beach this year.

2025, May 22. Canary Islands, Tenerife, shore near Fasnia, a coastal area on the east coast of the island. A Cachalot (Sperm whale) washed ashore dead.  

2025, May 22. Canary Islands. A second dead cachalot was located offshore. This individual was a juvenile. 

2025, May 22. Falkland Islands. Last two weeks. A skeleton identified as a porpoise species (probably spectacled porpoise) found at Cape Pembroke. A dead southern right whale was found at Saunders Island last week.

Tenerife

San Francisco

Cetacean and Meteor Events

2025, May 14. USA, New Jersey, 2.5 miles away to the north via Sandy Hook Gateway National Park. A14.5-foot Long-finned Pilot whale struggling in the surf ¼ mile north of the Ship Ahoy Beach Club in Sea Bright Humanely euthanized.

2025, May 14. Canada, British Columbia, Port McNeill Bay, Northern Vancouver Island. A young Bryde's Whale was found dead. Namgis First Nation and DFO are managing the incident.

2025, May 15. Northern Ireland, Millisle. A bottlenose dolphin euthanised after stranding with injuries.

2025, May 16. North Atlantic, Wilmington Canyon, 135 km East of Maryland USA. Dead Humpback aflot and in advanced state of decomposition.

Events in Australian and New Zealand Regions. 

2025, May 11. Western Australia, Central Wheatbelt. Mothers Day Fireball/Impact. Time: 05:57. Travelling north to the south. Duration: 10 sec. Color: green, orange glow. It was seen in locations over 560 km apart including Perth, Gingin, Scarborough, Mt Magnet, Mandurah, Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie. Meteorites recovered from Lake Hope. Approximate Coordinates: (-32.48, 120.47).

2025, May 12. Western Australia, Perth, Direction was South East (Byford area). Fireball.

2025, May 12. New Zealand, inland North Island between Rotorua and Taupo. Seen at Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay, Waikato and Wellington in locations 440km apart. Fireball. Time: around 07:57 UT. Travelling west to east.

2025, May 18. New Zealand, North Island, Waiheke, Onetangi Beach. Dead Pygmy Cachalot.

2025, May 19. Tasmania, Hobart. Fireball. Time: Around 20:32. Looking towards the west/south west. Duration: 6 sec.

New Jersey

Tasmania Fireball

Rare Bryde's Whale ashore in Canada

2025, May 14. USA, New Jersey, 2.5 miles away to the north via Sandy Hook Gateway National Park. A14.5-foot Long-finned Pilot whale struggling in the surf ¼ mile north of the Ship Ahoy Beach Club in Sea Bright was humanely euthanised.

2025, May 14. Canada, British Columbia, Port McNeill Bay, Northern Vancouver Island. A young Bryde's Whale was found dead. Namgis First Nation and DFO are managing the incident.

2025, May 15. Northern Ireland, Millisle. A bottlenose dolphin was euthanised after stranding with injuries.

Cetacean Strandings

2025, May 12. Alaska, Valdez, at Dock Point. A young humpback whale calf was found dead.

2025, May 13. India, Gujarat, Porbandar, Bhavpara Beach. Dead Dolphin found on beach.

2025, May 14. Sri Lanka. A mass stranding of at least six dolphins. See post below.

2025, May 14. Philippines, Bohol, Getafe, Barangay Tulang. Dead dolphin.

2025, May 14. USA, California, San Diego, beach at La Jolla Shore. Species: Humpback? A “very decomposed” remains of a 55-foot-long whale washed ashore.

2025, May 14. Yemen, Island of Socotra. A beaked whale, species unknown - (possible Cuvier's or goose-beaked whale). Found floating at sea in advanced state of decomposition with possible injuries.  

Sri Lanka Mass Dolphin Stranding

2025, May 14. Sri Lanka, Kalutara South beach, 40km south of Colombo. A mass stranding of at least six dolphins. The officials of the Veterinary Unit of the Department of Wildlife Conservation stated that the dolphins were discovered with visible injuries. Further, turbulent ocean conditions may have played a role in the incident, according to the officials. As such, an investigation is currently underway to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.

See March 14th post for Marine Animal Disturbance Alert issued for the region.

  

Fireballs and Strandings May 6 to 11, updated 20250513

2025, May 6. New South Wales, Port Macquarie, Miners Beach. Deceased melon-headed whale calf.

2025, May 8. USA, Massachusetts, Cape Cod, near Great Island, a gated community in Yarmouth. A female fin whale, around 65 feet long washed ashore.

2025, May 9. Queensland, Townsville, Rockpool. A rough-toothed dolphin that stranded itself was euthanised due to poor condition, the DETSI confirmed.

2025, May 9. Taiwan, over the Pacific Ocean off Taitung. Large Fireball. Time; around 11:47 p.m. It was visible from Nantian Village in the south of the county to Changbin Township in the north, a distance of over 170 kilometers.

2025, May 10. Philippines, Bohol, Poblacion, White Sands Resort. Dead dolphin.

2025, May 10. Ireland, Cross Strand, Templenoe. Dead dolphin.

2025, May 11. Western Australia, Central Wheatbelt. Mothers Day Fireball. Time: 5:57 am. Travelling north to the south. Duration: 10 sec. Color: green, orange glow. It was seen in locations over 560 km apart including Gingin, Scarborough, Mt Magnet, Mandurah, Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie. 

2025, May 11. Canada, B.C, near Skidegate on Haida Gwaii. A second deceased grey whale has washed ashore on a beach, less than a week after one was found at Long Beach on Vancouver Island. It measured about 12 metres long.  

B.C Gray Whale

This Bold Park Minke whale is an old carcass washed ashore on January 16.

Pulse Strandings in Germany after Meteor Activity

2025, May 12. Germany, Schleswig-Holstein, St. Peter-Ording. A Humpback whale 10 meters long, and the cause of its death is still unknown. This is the third stranding in the region. A 14-meter cachalot (sperm whale) was found on the island of Sylt, and then a younger and emaciated humpback whale was found on the island of Minzener-Oog. In February 2024 there was a pulse of strandings that came after fireball activity. This has played out the same way as in Denmark and Norway.

1967 Mass Sperm Whale Stranding in the Philippines

1967, May 7. Philippines, Negros Occidental, Cadiz City. A split mass stranding of 12 Cachalots (Sperm whales). The group of whales, one measuring 40ft long and 8ft. in height stranded in two groups, five days apart. Thus, the birth of the term Dinagsab, from a Hiligaynon word dagsa, which means to “gather”, “come together”, “driftage” or “to come in groups”, was made. The event gave Cadiz City the title City of Whales, the official seal of the City, and the former Ati Atihan Festival to be known as Dinagsa Festival in 2002. Cadiz locals viewed this event as a positive sign of fortune and prosperity from above.

San Fransico Bay Cetacean deaths

Date: 2025, May 7. USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Treasure Island. Dead female Gray whale. The 38-foot-long whale showed no obvious signs of trauma or injury and had been feeding recently.

This recent death brings the 2025 total whale deaths to six, with over 30 seen in the bay this year alone. Only one fatality showed signs of a ship strike. In 2024, only 4 Gray whales were seen, with two deaths recorded.

An unconfirmed report from Mexico says: "In Baja California Sur, at least 94 gray whales have been found dead so far in 2025." I think this number includes other baleen species. I'm working on obtaining official figures. 

Once again, for those not familiar with my other posts, two large meteor airbursts were detected by NASA over the last six months in Mexico's Pacific region. See map below. Combined, they had the energy of 5.8 kt or 5,800,000 kg/TNT.

Cetacean Strandings

2025, May 7. Ireland, Galway. A minke whale, which is believed to be only a few months old, was refloated. Highly likely that it will die.  

2025, May 8. Canada, British Columbia, Long Beach, in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, near Tofino. Juvenile Gray whale.

2025, May 8. Aruba, is a constituent island country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in the southern Caribbean Sea 29 kilometres north of the Venezuelan peninsula of Paraguaná and 80 kilometres northwest of Curaçao. Gervais' beaked whale located dead on beach.

Global Whale Stranding Updates

2025, May 5. Gran Canaria. A 16-metre fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), the second-largest animal on the planet after the blue whale weighing approximately 15 tonnes. It was spotted by a merchant ship approximately 5 kilometres east of the Port of San Cristobal.The whale was towed to the Port of Las Palmas.

2025, May 6. Spain, Mazarron, Playa del Alamillo. A Cuviers Beaked whale calf found dead. Cause of death unknown.

2025, May 6. Vanuatu, Torres Islands, Toga. A large dead whale was located on reef.

2025, May 6. USA, Massachusetts, Jetties Beach Nantucket. Dead dolphin.

2025, May 6. Netherlands. Harbour porpoise found in a skeletal state of decomposition.

There is also an informative article to read about ship strikes in Chile. 

‘It’s like putting a whale in a blender’: the rise of deadly ship collisions in Chile | Whales | The Guardian

Mass Whale stranding in Western Australia

2025, April 27. Western Australia. Meteors. Detected on camera within hour of each other. The event parameters at Albany were. LLB: (-35.48, 118.29). LLE: (-34.62, 117.41). HB: 120.5 km, HE: 102.3 km. Duration: 1.92 sec. Vel: 67.16 km/s. Travelling NW for 124 km.  

2025, April 30. Western Australia. Meteor. Detected on camera at a long distance.

2025, May 1. Queensland, K'gari (Frazer Island). Juvenile Brydes Whale stranded. Outcome unknown.

2025, May 4. Philippines, Brgy. Minabel, Camiguin Norte. A large dead whale, species not known.

2025, May 4. Iceland. Two dolphins in an advanced state of decomposition.

2025, May 4. India, Mumbai, Juhu beach. A rare occurrence of a dead pink dolphin.

2025, May 4. Wales, Pwll Llanddu. Dead common dolphin.  

2025, May 5. Bangladesh, The Rupnarayan River, village of Mankur in Bagnan 1 Block at the end of Howrah district. An adult Gangetic dolphin was recovered from the riverbank.  

2025, May 5. New South Wales, Manly. Risso’s Dolphin calf. the calf had sustained minor predation wounds and was euthanised.

2025, May 5. South Australia, Henley Beach. Dead Great White Shark (Total of four dead individuals). The incident follows the discovery of dead sharks at Ardrossan, Aldinga and Port Willunga in recent weeks. Experts are concerned it could be connected to the algae bloom.

2025, May 5. Western Australia, House Beach, 12km east of Bremer Bay. A mass stranding of seven false killer whales. Four died initially with three refloated. One restranded and euthanised. These cetaceans could be individuals separated from the large pod stranding of FKW in Tasmania on February 19. 

Bangladesh: Gangetic Dolphin

Western Australia: Mass Stranding and meteor event locations.

Cetacean strandings, Meteor events and Alge blooms

 2025, April 26. Scotland, Aberdeenshire. Harbour porpoise. Slight decomposition.

2025, April 27. Crete, Rethymno. A mutilated dead dolphin, missing the lower half of its body, was washed ashore.

2025, April 27. Norway, harbor in Kjøllefjord in Lebesby municipality. Dead juvenile humpback whale.

2025, April 27. Scotland, North Ayrshire. Harbour porpoise. Freshly dead on beach.

2025, April 28. Southern Ocean/South Indian Ocean, 400 km NNW of French Southern and Antarctic Lands. Airburst. Coordinates: (45.1S, 67.3E). Altitude: 31km. E = 3.4. -e – 0.12kt or 120,000 kg/TNT. Airburst Ratio 2024-2025 4:17.

2025, April 28. Senegal, near Kayar (Cayar ). Dead immature Bryde's whale.

2025, April 28. USA, California, Ventura Pier. Dead dolphin.

2025, April 28. Scotland, North Ayrshire. Harbour porpoise. Moderate-advanced decomposition.

2025, April 29. USA, Oregon, Smith River. Stranded whale on sandbar.

2025, April 29. USA, Massuchusetts, Nantucket. Bottlenose Dolphin.

2025, April 29. Scotland, Highland. Short-beaked common dolphin/striped dolphin (indeterminate species).

2025, April 29. USA, Massuchusetts, Black Point Beach in Chilmark. A mature 27-foot, male Minke whale.

2025, April 29. USA, Florida, North Atlantic. Fireball. Time: around 02:49 UT. Traveling NE.

2025, April 30. Philippines, Pangil beach. A dolphin stranded and died. BFAR records showed that four marine animals had been stranded or beached in the Navotas and Caaoacan coastal villages in Laoag City and Pangil, Currimao, since March.

2025, May 1. Philippines, Cabaian Bay, BuLahan Beach, Bacabac, Liloan, Southern Leyte. Dead dolphin.

2025, May 1. Galapagos Islands. A pygmy or dwarf whale washed ashore dead.

2025, May 2. Philippines, Barangay Pangil, Currimao, Ilocos Norte. A dead juvenile dolphin was found on the beach.

2025, May 2. USA, Massachusetts, Quincy. Stillborn dolphin.

2025, May 2. Bangladesh, Payra River, near the Sagar estuary in Taltoli Upazila, Barguna. Dead Irrawaddy Dolphin.

2025, May 3. USA, New York, Rockaway Beach, 97th Street. Beached Humpback whale.

2025, May 3. USA, South Carolina, Hilton Head Island, located near the Marriott Grand Ocean resort, near Coligny Beach Park. A cachalot (sperm whale).

Add Ins: There have been over a dozen cetacean deaths in Scotland and one in Hong Kong. 

Also, the Temp Rise/Meteor/Alge Bloom event in California has ended. This has been the third event after the one in Florida and Australia. Looking back at Australian records, this rise in temperature, along with meteor activity, that creates algal proliferation, is rather common. Meteor activity does give rise to plankton activity in the Southern Ocean, so it is understandable that, given the right conditions, this would spin up the process elsewhere. 

Other Western Australian Meteor on the 30th of April. Detected at great distance. Comes after April 27th meteors. See previous post.