Mass dolphin stranding in Florida

2025, October 29. USA, Florida, Lake Worth Beach. A mass stranding of four pantropical spotted dolphins near the Lake Worth Pier. Two of the dolphins were already dead, but the two others were rescued.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission  

Fireballs in the region: 

2025, October 22. USA, Florida, North Atlantic. Fireball. There was a report of a sonic boom. Time: around 00:40 UT.

2025, October 27. USA, Florida, Central Overland. Travelling south. Large Fireball. Delayed and concurrent sounds were detected. The sound was observed on both coastal regions of the state. This event was widely observed by witnesses and captured on camera. 

Meteor Airbursts and their effect on cetaceans at the surface

Note: I removed the math from this to make it easier to read. I have placed the summary first, which covers the findings; however, read on if you want further information.

Summary: Whales at or breaking the sea surface face substantially increased risk from a meteor airburst compared with fully submerged animals. Surface exposure eliminates the large air–sea impedance loss for the portions of the animal in air, allowing the full airborne overpressure and impulsive loading to act on the blowhole, respiratory tract, and dorsal tissues. Open airways provide a direct coupling pathway for pressure impulses into pulmonary structures, and the impulsive loading of the middle/inner ear and soft tissues increases the likelihood of trauma or temporary/permanent auditory effects. Crucially, surface exposure also magnifies behavioral risk: a sudden, intense airblast can provoke a strong startle or panicked flight response while simultaneously producing surface jets or hydrodynamic forcing that physically displace animals into shallow water or drive them toward shore. Therefore, while large-scale hearing injury from airburst-coupled underwater signals remains uncommon except near energetic epicenters, the combination of direct airblast effects and behavioural consequences makes presence at the surface a significant risk factor for strandings.

If whales are at the surface when an airburst occurs, the risk goes up — sometimes substantially — because they can be exposed directly to the airborne blast (no −30 dB air→water penalty) and because the blast can act on the animal’s blowhole, lungs and sensory organs. Direct air exposure: A whale at or breaking the surface presents air-facing tissues (blowhole, rostrum, dorsal area) that receive the full airborne overpressure and impulse. There is no large impedance mismatch loss for those parts — the animal is effectively in the same medium as the source. Open airways: If the blowhole is open or the animal inhales/exhales at the time, the airway and lungs can be coupled to the airblast — increasing risk of barotrauma and blunt pressure effects. Combined loading modes: The animal may simultaneously receive (a) direct airblast loading of soft tissues and lungs, (b) an underwater pressure pulse on submerged portions, and (c) sudden surface motion (wave/jet) that can move animals onto reefs. Direct blast overpressure on tissues — can cause hemorrhage, tissue shear, trauma to lung and middle/inner ear if sufficiently large. Airway/lung coupling — an open blowhole or inhalation path lets the pressure impulse enter the respiratory tract, increasing internal pressure transients. Rapid vertical acceleration / surface jetting — an airburst over or near the water can launch surface waves, jets or water jets that physically displace animals or force them ashore. Startle / behavioral panic — an intense sudden air-noise and shock can trigger strong flight or grouping responses; boats, shallow bathymetry, or confusion can then cause stranding. Combined stressors — simultaneous geomagnetic, visual (bright flash), or social confusion increases probability of maladaptive behaviour. Blowhole & airway: Airblast through an open blowhole can transmit pressure into the lungs and lower airways; rapid positive/negative swings increase barotrauma risk. Middle/inner ear: Sudden pressure transients can damage hearing—even at lower levels—if the pressure waveform is steep and impulsive. Lung/air sac differences: Cetacean lungs and accessory air spaces are structurally different to terrestrial mammals; vulnerability to blast is not identical and is poorly quantified in the literature. Behavioral consequences: An intense airblast when the animal is at the surface is also the most likely context for a strong flight reaction (fast, disorganized movement) which can lead to stranding in shallow water. Hearing injury (TTS/PTS): still probably uncommon except very near a large airburst epicenter. However, surface exposure increases the chance relative to an entirely submerged animal because of direct pressure spikes to airways and ears. Acute barotrauma / lung injury: possible in high-overpressure scenarios (near epicenter; low altitude burst). The exact probability is unknown because cetacean-specific blast-injury thresholds are not well characterized. Behavioral/stranding risk: substantially higher when animals are at the surface because a strong startle + sudden surface motion + proximity to shore/shelf can combine to produce strandings.

Mass stranding in Canada, Nova Scotia

2025, October 22. Canada, Nova Scotia, Port Hood. 3 Pilot whales saved. The last mass stranding in the area was in 2023 when 11 pilot whales stranded on a rocky shore with 8 dying and 3 rescued.

Some historical strandings in the region this year include: 2025, August 4. Canada, Nova Scotia, Bay of Fundy, Canning Aboiteau mud flats. A mass stranding of 13 Atlantic white-sided dolphins that were caught on tidal egress and were rescued. An 180 km west on 2025, September 27. Canada, Prince Edward Island, Pituamkek National Park Reserve. A mass stranding of three large sperm whales that are stranded off western Prince Edward Island's North Shore.

Mass stranding in New Zealand

2025, October 15. New Zealand, North Island. Fireball. Time: 20:58NZDT. Seen in Auckland, Bay of Plenty Region, Taranaki Region, Wellington Region. Travelling SW over Tasman Sea.

2025, October 15. New Zealand, North Island, east over sea, Coromandel. Fireball. Time: 12:23NZDT. East Coast of the. Pacific Ocean.

2025, October 20. New Zealand, Northland, Paenga Rehia / Twilight Beach near Te Paki. A mass stranding of 27 pilot whales. They were discovered on Twilight Beach (Paenga Rehia), about 11km south of Cape Rēinga, that is part of the popular Te Paki Coastal Track.

Update and Images to follow.

20251023: Twenty-seven whales died and were buried at location. 

The Lebanon/Israel mass cetacean stranding incident in 2023

2023, August 21. Cyprus, Mediterranean Sea. Fireball. Travelling east. Delivered concurrent and delayed sound. Time: Around 18:23 UT or 21:23LT. Seen in Antalya, Jerusalem District, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia, Paphos. This was the only event recorded in the region that created a sonic boom in 2023 and three years before this. The last one recorded was out of the cetacean migratory season. 

2023, August 28 to September 3. Israel and Lebanon. A cluster stranding of 3 cachalots (sperm whales). The first of the three was found August 28, on an Israeli beach. The carcass of a male sperm whale was ~ 12 meters long. The second washed up the next day, August 29, north of the city of Tyre in Lebanon was ~ 14 meters long. The third was found on Sunday, which given the date sequence would be September 3, (assuming that timeline) south of Tyre. It was a male sperm whale. The size less clearly given in that report. Researchers noted the unusually close timing and location: three whales in a short stretch of coastline (~130 km) between Israel and Lebanon. At least two of them were male. Because sperm whales often travel in groups of young males (“bachelor groups”), this raised concern that some traumatic regional event (e.g. seismic activity or underwater blast) might have affected the group.  

Mysterious mass stranding of orcas in Argentina

The following meteor airburst events occurred between June 3rd, 2024, and September 13th, 2025. The last one was over land; however, it shows how active the atmosphere has been in the region. The map shows airbursts detected by NASA dating back to 2000, a 25-year time frame, indicating that this area has experienced well-above-average events.

2024, June 3. Southern Ocean, South America – Antarctica region. Airburst. Time: 01:13. Coordinates: (63.1S, 53.2W). e = 2.6. -e = 0.092 or 94,000 kg/TNT. Altitude: 60km. Velocity: N.A.

2024, September 23. South Atlantic Ocean. Airburst. Time: 06:37. Coordinates: (45.6S, 31.9W). Energy: e = 5.5, -e = 0.18 or 180,000 kg/TNT. Altitude: 69km. Velocity: N.A.

2024, September 28. Southern Ocean, between South America and Antarctica. Airburst. Coordintes: ( 59.8S, 51.8W). Energy: 0.32kt, or 320,000 kg/TNT. Time: 00:10:19. This was only 374 km N.W from the Airburst on June 3. This event was over 4 times more powerful than the South Africa event on August 25 that caused a sonic boom heard over 160km of coastline.

2024, November 10. Southern Ocean, South America – Antarctica region. Airburst. Time: 16:31. Coordinates: (59.8S, 73.6W). e = 5.7. -e = 0.18 or 180,000 kg/TNT. Altitude: 43km. Velocity: N.A.

2025, September 13. Argentina, Lihuel Calel Department, La Pampa Province. Airburst. Time: 22:26:39UT. 19:24LT. Coordinates: (38.1S,64.8W). Altitude: 25.1 km. Energy: e = 16.7e10, -e = 0.48 or 480,000 kg/TNT. Velocity: 17.8 km/s.  

Kenya and Tanzania cetacean stranding and meteor airburst events in 2016

2016, May 3. Kenya, near Kilifi. A mass stranding of over 100 melon-headed whales. This was one of the largest strandings recorded in Kenya. Unfortunately, many of the whales did not survive despite rescue efforts.

2016, July 5. Indian Ocean, 390km ESE off Somalia coast. Airburst. Energy: 0.44 kt or 440,000 kg/TNT.

2016, September 14. Indian Ocean, Kenya, 470km off the coast. Airburst. Coordinates: (3.5S, 44.6E). e = 240,000 kg/TNT.

2016, October 14. Tanzania in Kilwa. Dead cachalot (sperm whale).

2016, October 19. Kenya, Ngomeni, north of Malindi. Dead cachalot (sperm whale).

2016, October 23. Tanzania, Kizimkazi. Indian Ocean humpback dolphin stranded and died. 

Note:  I will update this with further events. It should also be noted that Somalia has a large section of unmonitored coastline south of Mogadishu.

Proving a link between meteor airbursts and mass whale strandings would be hard but not impossible

It would require coordinated multi-discipline evidence that converges on the same conclusion: (1) an airburst actually happened close enough in time/place to plausibly affect animals; (2) physical/forensic evidence shows the animals sustained injuries or physiological effects consistent with a pressure/shock or electromagnetic event; and (3) other, more likely causes are ruled out. Below, I lay out a practical, step-by-step research program, including the measurements and protocols needed, the statistical approach, logistical/ethical constraints, and a brief checklist of “minimal convincing evidence.” There are other topics not listed below, such as unmonitored coastlines and population densities etc.

High-level research strategy

1. Detect — Build/assemble independent records showing a meteor/bolide/airburst occurred (satellite, infrasound, optical, radar, eyewitness, seismic).

2. Correlate — Show the timing and location of the atmospheric event match the stranding (within a plausible window given propagation and whale behavior).

3. Forensically link — Perform necropsies and environment sampling that produce signatures consistent with airburst effects (e.g., barotrauma-like injuries, ear damage, microdebris).

4. Exclude alternatives — Systematically rule out known stranding causes (acoustic sonar, disease, algal toxins, navigational error, prey movements, geomagnetic anomalies).

5. Replicate — Accumulate multiple independent events with the same convergent evidence to move from anecdote to pattern.

6. Model plausibility — Physically model how an airburst of the observed energy at the observed altitude/distance would transmit shock/noise into the water and what biological effects would be expected.

Concrete measurements & instrumentation you need

• Atmospheric / bolide detection

  • Government infrasound arrays and seismic networks (detect pressure waves).

  • Satellite detections (IR, optical, flash sensors — e.g., US government bolide reports where available).

  • Ground optical meteor networks / fireball cameras and radar if available.

  • Citizen reports, smartphone videos (timestamped), and audio.

• Ocean acoustic & physical monitoring

  • Coastal and deep-water hydrophone recordings (to capture underwater pressure/sonic signatures).

  • Coastal seismic stations (some airbursts couple into the ground).

  • Surface wave and tsunami sensors (to detect any surface impulsive displacement).

• Biological & forensic

  • Rapid, standardized necropsies performed by trained marine mammal pathologists. Key samples/observations: inner ear examination (cochlea — hemorrhage or trauma), lungs (barotrauma, pulmonary hemorrhage), eyes (hemorrhage), gas bubble formation in tissues, soft tissue hemorrhages, organ pathology, toxicology (algae toxins), microbiology (pathogens).

  • Histology of ear and brain tissue to detect blast-type lesions.

  • Stable isotope/diet analysis to check feeding status, and stomach contents to see if prey behavior was a factor.

  • Collection of external materials from bodies/nearby shoreline (micrometeorites, melted-glass spherules, unusual particulates).

• Environmental & oceanographic

  • Bathymetry and coastline slope maps (to assess navigational risk).

  • Local ocean temperature, currents, and prey distribution (fish/krill surveys or acoustic fishery data).

  • Records of local human naval/industrial acoustic sources (sonar, seismic surveys, shipping).

• Tagging / telemetry (where available)

  • Long-term tagged whales can provide pre-event behavior: dive profiles, vocalization changes, heading changes. If a tagged pod shows synchronized behavioral anomaly at the time of a bolide, that would be powerful.

Necropsy protocol (fast, standardized)

Time is critical. A suggested rapid response protocol:

1. Secure scene; photograph and map carcasses and surrounding area.

2. Within 24 hours (fresher is better) perform full necropsy following established marine mammal protocols (e.g., IWC/NOAA guidance). Record gross lesions.

3. Sample and preserve (label + chain of custody): inner ears, brain, lung, spleen, kidney, muscle, stomach contents, blood/serum, ear bones (if needed), and environmental particulates. Freeze portions for later histology, toxicology, genetic testing.

4. Take swabs/samples from skin/blubber surface for particulates.

5. Submit samples to pathology labs and independent labs for histology (ear, brain), gas analysis (embolic gas composition), and trace element/particle analysis (spherules, microtektites, meteoritic composition).

6. Publish/ archive all raw necropsy data publicly for review.

Specific forensic signatures that would support an airburst cause

Look for multiple, converging signatures rather than a single oddity:

• Temporal/spatial coincidence: bolide/airburst detection within minutes–hours and within tens to a few hundreds of kilometers (depending on event strength) of the stranding.

• Blast/pressure injuries: inner ear hemorrhages, pulmonary hemorrhage, gas bubble formation in tissues consistent with rapid pressure change. (These findings could also match sonar-related injuries, so comparative pathology matters.)

• Absence of other causes: negative for algal toxins, no evidence of infectious disease sufficient to kill the pod, no nearby naval sonar or seismic activity that could explain it.

• Physical debris: discovery of meteoritic micro-spherules or high-temperature melt products on animals or immediate coastline that match the bolide composition.

• Acoustic records: hydrophone/infrasound signatures that match a strong near-shore airburst and, ideally, timing that matches behavioral anomalies in tagged whales.

• Behavioral telemetry: tags showing synchronous abrupt surfacing, disorientation, or anomalous dives concurrent with the event.

Statistical & analytical approach

• Case–control design: Compare strandings coincident with detected bolides to a matched set of strandings with no bolide. Assess whether the coincidence rate is greater than random expectation.

• Time-series analyses: Use permutation tests to see if strandings cluster around bolide dates more than expected. Adjust for confounders (season, coastal traffic, sonar exercises).

• Bayesian hierarchical modeling: Combine different evidence streams (probability of bolide occurrence, probability of biological injury given bolide parameters, prior plausibility) to produce posterior probability that airburst caused stranding.

• Forensic likelihood ratio: For each event, compute likelihood of observed forensic/pathology evidence under two models — airburst vs alternative cause (e.g., sonar). A high likelihood ratio in favor of airburst would be compelling.

• Power/sample size: Because strandings are relatively rare and airbursts in the right place/time are rarer, expect to need multiple well-documented events to reach high confidence. Simulations (Monte Carlo) using estimated base rates of airbursts and strandings can help estimate required sample sizes.

Logistics, collaborators & data sources

• Collaborators: marine mammal stranding networks, university marine biology/pathology labs, atmospheric physics groups (meteoritics), infrasound/seismology groups, oceanographers, national space/defense agencies (for satellite bolide data), citizen science networks (fireball cameras).

• Data sharing: set up rapid alerting and data sharing — e.g., if a large fireball is detected near a coast, stranding networks are notified to prepare. Conversely, rapid stranding reports should trigger searches for bolide records.

• Legal/ethical: you cannot intentionally expose animals to harmful blasts; all work must be observational/forensic and follow animal welfare laws.

Challenges & likely confounders

• Similar pathologies: sonar and strong underwater explosions can produce ear/inner-organ injuries similar to a blast from an airburst — differentiating the two requires careful context (presence/absence of sonar records) and possibly micro-pattern differences on histology.

• Signal attenuation: atmospheric shockwaves dissipate quickly and couple into water inefficiently — small/medium airbursts may have negligible marine effects unless very close. Modeling is needed to show physical plausibility.

• Sparse detection coverage: not every airburst is captured by government satellites or infrasound arrays publicly, making negatives ambiguous.

• Rarity of coincident events: obtaining multiple high-quality, independent events may take years.

Minimal convincing evidence (a practical threshold)

For a single event to be considered strong evidence, you’d want:

1. Clear, independently recorded bolide/airburst (satellite/infrasound/optical) close in time and space.

2. Hydrophone/infrasound records showing a pressure transient reaching the ocean at a plausible level.

3. Necropsy findings consistent with rapid pressure/sonic trauma (inner ear hemorrhage, pulmonary lesions) in multiple animals from the same stranding.

4. Negative results for other major causes (toxin, disease, naval sonar).

5. Physical particulates or melt spherules consistent with a bolide found in the environment or on animals (this is optional but would be a strong added signature).

6. Ideally, at least one independent replication (another well-documented stranding + bolide) or behavioral telemetry from tagged whales showing a temporally matched anomalous response.

A practical short plan you could implement now

1. Set up a formal partnership between a stranding network and a meteor/bolide detection group.

2. Create rapid-response SOPs for necropsy + environmental sample collection when a large fireball is reported near a coast (and vice versa).

3. Archive and link datasets (bolide detections, hydrophone archives, satellite reports, stranding necropsy reports, shipping/sonar logs) for retrospective searches.

4. Run retrospective analyses: cross-match historical bolide catalogs with historical mass stranding records for statistical excesses.

5. Model the blast-to-water coupling for a range of bolide energies and distances to produce a dose–response curve (pressure in water vs distance/energy). Compare modeled exposure vs lesion thresholds in mammals.

Final realistic assessment

Proving the theory beyond reasonable doubt will require multiple, multi-modal, independently verified cases where the airburst is recorded, the forensic evidence points to blast/pressure effects, and other causes are ruled out. Because other causes (sonar, disease, navigation, algal toxins) are common and can produce similar injuries, the standard of evidence must be high. Still — with dedicated coordination between stranding networks and meteor/bolide observers, rapid forensic work, and robust statistical analysis, it is scientifically testable.

Marine Animal Disturbance Alert for New Zealand

2025, October 9. New Zealand, Southern Ocean, SE of Stewart Island (Rakiura). Fireball. Duration: 2.5 sec.  

2025, October 10. New Zealand, Dunedin, Clutha District. Fireball. Around 10pm. A bright blue green fireball falling to the south low in the horizon. Break-up of meteoroid.

2025, October 11. New Zealand. Southern Ocean. Fireball. Break up of meteoroid. Approximately 4 hours after the above and larger.  

A Marine Animal Disturbance Alert should be noted for the SE region of the South Island of New Zealand and Stewart Island/Rakiura. Even though no reports yet of sonic booms, the length and duration of the events warrant a watch for cetacean strandings. Will update this post as more information collected. 

2025, October 12. New Zealand, Invercargill, SE of South Island, Awarua Bay east end. Dead Bottlenose dolphin.

Also: 2025, October 7. Scotland. Fireball. Traveling NW over Inverness region. Concurrent and delayed auditory experience.

2025, October 7. UK, SE. Several cities stunned as a green “fireball”. Seen from as far apart as Nottingham in the UK to Bar-le-Duc in France over 640 km apart. Large as the full moon. Concurrent and delayed auditory experience.  

Most Cetacean Strandings Go Unreported

Along the thousands of miles of unmonitored coastlines of the world, there could be graveyards that never get noticed. Researchers from Cornell University conducted an experiment to understand how often stranded dolphins are actually discovered and reported by the public—critical data for marine mammal stranding networks. Scientists placed decoy dolphin carcasses (textile bags filled with sand) around Dauphin Island, Alabama. Each decoy had a phone number tag for public reporting. Deployments occurred during peak tourist season and the off-season, across varied habitats and human activity levels. Only 58% of decoys were found and reported. Discovery rates were lower in less trafficked areas and during the off-season. This suggests that many real strandings may go unreported, skewing mortality estimates. The study helps refine search strategies for stranded animals. It underscores the need for better public awareness and more accurate mortality data to assess environmental threats and conservation needs. When you add to this that for every cetacean found on the shoreline, 20 die at sea, the number that actually do could be much higher than we thought.

New Zealand and Malaysia stranding

2025, October 9. New Zealand, NE North Island, on Northland’s Ripiro Beach. A female cachalot (sperm whale) died. It comes after the two fireballs in the Northland and Auckland regions. One on October 2nd in the Dargaville area and earlier on September 26th in the Auckland region. There was a very bright, green fireball meteor. Travelling WNW over the coast.

Also: 2025, October 6. Malaysia, Perak, Teluk Senangin. Dead dolphin.

Note; Sonic boom heard in Victoria. 2025, October 8. Victoria, Kyneton Region. Fireball. Time: 11.06pm. Sonic boom. Travelling directly south. Duration: 6 sec. Quite a few heard/felt a bang at 11.05/.06 in Elphinstone, Malmsbury, Kyneton, Carlsruhe. There was another meteor spotted at 9:30.

“A Fairly Large Meteor” in Indonesia.

On Sunday evening, October 5, 2025, a large meteor entered Earth’s atmosphere near Cirebon, West Java. It created a bright fireball and a loud explosion that startled residents across Kuningan and Cirebon. The meteor came in over land from the SW to NE direction. The meteor crashed into the Java Sea between 6:35 PM and 6:39 PM local time. BRIN astronomer Thomas Djamaluddin confirmed the event, explaining the boom was caused by a shockwave as the meteor descended through the atmosphere. It was heard over an area of 700 (km²). BMKG’s seismic sensors detected ground vibrations at the same time. The explosion/boom was also detected at the Public Sonic Boom Observation Station in Bali 700 km away. Residents, especially in Lemahabang, reported seeing the fireball and hearing the blast, which posed no danger. It was described as a "Fairly large meteor". A Marine Animal Disturbance Alert should be noted for the coastal regions of West, Central and associated islands of Java, Indonesia, between Jakarta and Semarang in the Java Sea.

(Beritasatu.com)

Historical meteor events in France and common dolphin deaths

I'm still researching stranding events in France and came across two other large incidents that were notable. These are just preliminary and noted for interest. See September 18th post.

2019, October 13. France. Fireball. A brilliant meteor was spotted in the Eastern part of country at 04:48 UTC. The fireball was seen not only from France but also from parts of Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

2020, December 13. France. Fireball. 115 reports about a meteor fireball seen over Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Baden-Württemberg, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Fribourg, Grand Est, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Piemonte, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rheinland-Pfalz and Vaud. Time: around 16:42 UT.

Histograms & Stranding Maps Scavenging Database: Histograms & Stranding Maps

Marine Animal Disturbance Alert for Northwestern Borneo

2025, October 1. Malaysia, Brunei, Bandar Seri Begawan, Malaysia. Fireball. Sonic Boom heard. Sarawak witnesses heard a loud bang following the sighting These sightings were reported by several witnesses across Sarawak, from Bintulu to Miri on the island of Borneo. Loud bangs were heard around Samalaju Bintulu Miri. The meteor was first spotted at around 8.50pm, near the Samalaju industrial area in Malayia 230km south. Travelling NNE towards Brunei Bay, South China Sea. A Marine Animal Disturbance Alert should be noted for the region.