Stranding update: 20250810

This is the last update on single strandings. In the future, I will focus on mass strandings/clusters. Once the data is collected, I will issue MAD's or give a report on events as they unfolded. 

2025, August 8? (week prior). South Africa, near Struisbaai. A newborn Southern right whale calf stranded and died. No clear cause of death was found.

2025, August 7. Scotland, Orkney Westray, at Pierowell. Lone Pilot whale calf in trouble. Still maternally dependent. Outcome unknown.

2025, August 7. Scotland, Calgary, Mull, Argyll And Bute. Harbour Porpoise in an moderate to advanced state of decomposition.

2025, August 7. Scotland, Liniclate, Benbecula, Western Isles. Striped Dolphin. In a state of moderate to advanced decomposition.

2025, August 7. Ireland, Blacksod Bay, Tarmon Beach. Common dolphin rescued. This was the 19th live-stranded dolphin in the bay so far this year.

2025, August 7. Ireland, Helvic, Co. Waterford. Two juvenile Sowerby’s beaked whales live stranded – one male and one female. Both whales did not survive.

2025, August 8. Philippines, Mindanao, Purok 3B, San Vicente Village, Casinglot, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental. A dead dolphin was found in fishing net.

2025, August 08. Scotland, Kames Bay, Millport, Cumbrae, North Ayrshire. A Short-Beaked Common Dolphin in a state of light decomposition.

2025, August 9. Philippines, Romblon, Agmanic, Santa Fe, Tablas Island. A young pilot whale, around 3–4 meters long, was found washed ashore in early morning. Local authorities are now investigating.

2025, August 9. Philippines, Magallanes. A young pilot whale stranded and died.

Marine Animal Disturbance Alert for UK and Ireland

2025, July 3. Scotland. Large Fireball. (Electrophonic Meteor) Had delayed and concurrent properties. Sound described as a huge boom heard over 230,000 square kilometres. Time: 00:49. Travelling East towards North Sea. Seen in England, Northern Ireland and Wales at a distance over 500 km. The incredible blast was spotted as far as the Outer Hebrides. Appin witness: “Then maybe 20 to 30 seconds later, an explosive bang.”

Considering the vast area, the sound was heard, a Marine Animal Disturbance Alert should be noted for waters in the UK, Ireland and coastal regions of mainland Europe. 

Update: The meteor was seen above Taynuilt and Fort William, with one person claiming the “huge explosion” seemed to “wake up the whole town”. One person expressed their shock, saying: “I thought it was a bomb at first. I almost had a panic attack.” The boom was also “heard and felt” in Benderloch.

The outer circle is the sighting, and the inner is the sound.

India sees another cetacean stranding

 2025, June 23. India, Punnapra, Ambalappuzha. A dolphin washed ashore dead. It had head injuries.

Also: 2025, June 23. Ireland, Ballina, River Moy. A Common Dolphin was rescued.

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

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.

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.

Cetacean strandings since April 8

This list is incomplete due to information already covered and future data entry. There is also a continued stream of beaked whale deaths coming to shore in New Zealand. 

2025, April 8. Philippines, Pangasinan. Dead Irrawaddy dolphin.

2025, April 9. USA, Cape Cod, Chapins Beach. Dead dolphin.

2025, April 10. USA, North Carolina, Outer Banks, near Shad Street in Corolla. A dead female juvenile humpback whale washed ashore. The carcass floating in the surf moderately decomposed.

2025, April 11. Malaysia, Penang, Teluk Bahang beach, Straits of Melacca. The carcass of an Irrawaddy dolphin, was found washed ashore.

2025, April 11. Greece, Roda beach in North Corfu. Dead dolphin.

2025, April 12. USA, California, Hunington Beach, Pasea Hotel. A Gray whale washed ashore dead.

2025, April 14. Philippines, Nanay. Dead dolphin.

2025, April 13. Cambodia, Kampot, Boeung Touk commune, Bokor town, Kampot province. 3 Melon headed whales were rescued after stranding.

2025, April 15. Ireland, Donegal, Mouncharles Pier. A porpoise washed ashore dead.

2025, April 15. Hong Kong, Cheung Chau. A Indo-Pacific finless porpoise washed shore in advanced state of decomposition.

2025, April 16. Pakistan, Sukkur. An endangered Indus River dolphin, commonly known as the blind dolphin, was found dead near Gate No. 5 of the Sukkur Barrage.

2025, April 16. USA, Massachusetts, Plum Cove Beach in Gloucester. Dead dolphin.

2025, April 17. USA, New York, Queens, Rockaway Park. Dead dolphin.  

Cetacean strandings events from March 30

There are many others worldwide that will be catalogued at a future date. The events in the USA, Scotland, Ireland and Denmark are all linked to meteor activity so far.

2025, March 30. USA, California, San Diego near La Jolla Shores. Dead 30ft long juvenile whale.

2025, March 30. Scotland, Argyll. Dead humpback washed ashore in a moderate state of decomposition.

2025, March 30. Scotland, Fife. The stranded dolphin was refloated.

2025, March 30. Ireland, Carn, Belmullet on the Mullet Peninsula, Co. Mayo. Live stranding of two pelagic common dolphins. Both the adult and juvenile were refloated in an alternate location.

2025, March 31. USA, Delaware, Indian River Bay, on the north side of the Indian River Inlet Bridge. A 35-feet long humpback that was moderately decomposed.

2025, April 1. USA, Brigantine, New Jersey. Dead dolphin.

2025, April 2. Philippines, San Miguel Bay, Ponong, Magarao. A dead whale shark (male, approx. 5 meters in length) washed ashore in Brgy.

2025, April 2. Denmark, Jutland region of Djursland, Løgten Bugt. A seven meter long juvenile dead humpback 25 kilometers from Denmark’s second-largest city. Fireballs occurred on March 8, 18 and 20.

2025, April 2. USA, California, Santa Barbara. Dead dolphin.

2025, April 2. Thailand, Phuket, Koh Siray, east of Phuket Town. Death of a small dolphin found floating.

Cetacean strandings and meteor events since the 22nd of March

2025, March 22. UK, North East and Cumbria, Redcar beach, Teesside. Dead Porpoise.

2025, March 21. UK, Sandwich Bay, 15km north of Dover. Dead Porpoise.

2025, March 23. North Sea. Fireball. Time: 21:40 UT. Seen traveling from Calais in France moving NNE across the North Sea for approximately 250 km.

2025, March 24. South Africa, Hartenbos, Mossel Bay. A stranded beaked whale euthanized after attempts to refloat.

2205, March 24. Canada, Haida Gwaii, Graham Island, Rose Spit. A large whale found in advanced state of decomposition.

2025, March 25. Scotland, Fife, Torryburn Beach. Dead porpoise.

2025, March 25. Ireland, Waterford Estuary. Sperm whale in estuary. Unusual.

2025, March 27. Pacific Ocean, 920km WSW of Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico. Large Airburst. Coordinates: (14.3N, 111.5W). e = 104.5, -e = 2.4 or 2,400,000 kg/TNT. Altitude: 38.1km. Vel: 21.3km/s. Marine Animal Disturbance Alert. This comes after the December 20 airburst at the same latitude, 1443 km to the east. Two very significant events. Due to this event, cetaceans such as Humpback and Risso's dolphins could be vulnerable. Gray, for this event, is not as much due to its location. This brings the 2024-2025 airburst ratio to 3:13. A comet not seen in 160,000 years is entering the inner solar system, so it will be interesting to see what it brings with it. The MAD'S for Brazil and the central Indian Ocean are still in effect to this date.

2025, March 29. USA, San Fransisco Bay, Alcatraz Dock. Dead Gray whale.

2025, March 29. British Virgin Islands, Caribbean Sea. Dead humpback whale floating at sea.

2025, March 29. Wales, Treathgwyn Beach. Dead dolphin.

Cetacean Strandings and meteor activity since March 14

2025, March 14. Mexico, Baja California Sur, Playa Antares, East Cape. Dead Gray whale. Severely emaciated 40 gray whale deaths have been recorded, primarily among young and adult specimens. Unusually, the deceased whales are not calves.

2025, March 15. USA, Rhode Island, Seaconnet Boulevard in Portsmouth, seawall in Island Park. Dead dolphin.

2025, March 15. USA, Florida, North Atlantic. Fireball. Time: 02:18UT. 22:18EDT. Travelling WSW. Started off at the coastal latitude of Orlando moving towards, and north of The Bahamas and into continental shelf.

2025, March 15. The Bahamas, North Atlantic. Large Fireball. Travelling WSW for over 500 km. It started near Cape Canaveral and passed north of the Bahamas.

2025, March 17. Spain, La Unión, Playa del Lastre beach. Dead common dolphin.

2025, March 18. Guyana, Georgetown, Stabroek. A pygmy whale (Feresa sp.) was rescued and returned to the sea.

2025, March 18. Equatorial Atlantic Ocean. Airburst. Coordinates: (1.5S, 30.4W). 694 km NE off the coast of Brazil, State of Rio Grande do Norte. Altitude: 27 km. Velocity: 20.1 km/s. e = 11, -e = 0.33 or 330,000 kg/TNT. Ratio 2024-2025 = 3:10. Marine Animal Disturbance Alert. The last airburst off the NE coast of Brazil corresponded with a mass whale stranding.

2025, March 19. USA, California, Devereux Beach. Dead dolphin.

2025, March 19? USA, South Carolina, Bird Island. A 29 foot juvenile male humpback whale was found dead in North Myrtle Beach.

2025, March 19. Mexico, Baja California Sur, Puerto San Carlos, Magdalena Bay. Dead whale.

2025, March 18. Irish Sea, Isle of Man. Fireball. Seen in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Time: 22:38 UT. 22:38GMT. Travelling W.S.W.

2025, March 20. UK, Gwithian beach near St Ives. A single long-finned pilot whale was stranded.

2025, March 19. USA, Florida, Gulf of Mexico. Fireball. Time: 01:55UT, 19:21 EDT. Travelling WNW.

2025, March 21. UK, Dorset, Poole, Sandbanks beach. Dead dolphin.

2025, March 21. USA, California, Isla Vista. Dead dolphin.

2025, March 22. Uruguay, Punta Seaport. A large baleen whale became stranded in a port. Unknown if free.

Cetacean strandings since March 9

2025, March 9. Hong Kong, The Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club. A male Finless porpoise. Length: 87 cm.

2025, March 9. Taiwan, Kaohsiung’s Keziliao Harbor. A three-meter cachalot (sperm whale) calf was stranded on the beach and later died.

2025, March 10. Egypt, Blumar Resort near Zaafarana in the Gulf of Suez. Dead female Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus), measuring 210 cm in length.

2025, March 11. Ireland, Bannow's coast. Dead dolphin.

2025, March 12. UK, River Forth, Torryburn Bay. Dead dolphin.

2025, March 12. USA, Delaware, Sussex County, Conquest Road at Delaware Seashore State Park. A 35-foot, 14-ton humpback whale washed ashore dead.

2025, March 12. Indonesia, Aceh, Pulau Island, Angkeo Beach. A large dead whale.

2025, March 13. Timor-Leste, Liquica. Large dead cachalot (sperm whale). Was seen in a distressed state before floating motionless.

2025, March 13. South Korea, Socheongdo Island in Ongjin-gun, Incheon. A large minke whale was found dead in a net in the northern sea of the West Sea. The cetacean was 7.5-meter-long 4.1 meters wide and weighed about 3 tons. The whale was located 13 kilometres south of the island where North Korea conducts illegal fishing including harpooning of cetaceans.

2025, March 14. Vietnam, Thach Hai commune, in the central city of Ha Tinh. A 100-kg, 1.5-meter-long, pygmy sperm whale was discovered a couple of hours ago. Whale worship is a long-standing tradition among Vietnamese fishermen, who believe the creatures' spirits offer protection at sea. It is customary for them to rescue stranded whales whenever possible and to hold burial and worship ceremonies for those that perish, often at whale temples.

2025, March 14. Mexico, Baja California Sur, Cerritos North Beach. Dead common dolphin.

Airburst, daylight meteor and Strandings

2025, February 21. USA, Texas (location ?). Dead common dolphin.

2025, February 21. Indonesia, Bali, Badung. A dead humpback in an advanced state of decomposition washed ashore.

2025, February 22. UK, Cornwall, Par Beach. Dead common dolphin.

2025, February 22. Mexico, Baja California Sur, Bahia Almejas in the southern part of Bahia Magdalena in the Municipality of La Paz. Dead Gray whale.  

2025, February 22. Atlantic Ocean, 70 km west of Quinzau, Angola. Airburst. Coordintes: (6.9E, 12.1E). Energy: e = 3.5, -e = 0.12 or 120,000 kg/TNT.  

2025, February 22. Philippines, Davao City, Ana Wharf. Dead Cuvier’s beaked whale was found floating near Pier 1. Estimated to weigh around 700 kilograms, measuring 17.3 feet in length and 8.4 feet in width. Authorities are still determining the cause of death.

2025, February 22. China, Hac Sa Beach. A sub-adult male porpoise measuring 1.48 meters. The carcass was already decomposing.  

2025, February 22. China, Huangshan Mountain, 65 km west of coastal city of Wenzhou. Meteor Airburst. Coordinates: (28.1N, 120E). e = 5.5, -e = 0.18 or 180,000 km/TNT. Altitude: 56.7km. Velocity 15 km/sec. Important note: This is the 8th airburst this year compared to one this time last year. This is a major uptick in atmospheric activity, the most recorded in over 50 years. 

2025, February 23. USA, Texas, Aransas Pass. Dead dolphin.

2025, February 24. Malaysia, South China Sea, Pahang, Pantai Kampung Sungai Miang. A 10 meter long Bryde or fin whale in a state of advanced decomposition.   

2025, February 25. Mexico, Mazatlán. Dead whale shore. Species Humpback?

2025, February 25. Ireland, Ballydwan Beach. Dead dolphin.  

Mexico on 25th.

Global cetacean stranding last week

Note: I try my best to locate most strandings but sadly it is only a small fraction of the real number. 

2025, February 17. UK, Gwynedd, Porth Neigwl (Hell’s Mouth) on the Llŷn Peninsula. Dead dolphin in advanced state of decomposition.

2025, February 17. UK, Gwynedd, Porth Neigwl (Hell’s Mouth) on the Llŷn Peninsula. Dead adult whale possibly a minke or fin. In advanced state of decomposition.

2025, February 18. Venezuela Isla de Margarita, El Tirano. Two pygmy killer whales stranded. Both transported to Waterland Mundo Marino for rehabilitation. Both have liver issues, dehydration and parasitism.

2025, February 18. Ireland, Kinsale, Dock beach. Dead dolphin.

2025, February 19. UK. A Rissos dolphin calf was euthanised after being found on beach alive and alone.

2025, February 19. UK, Isle of Wight, Culiver Down Beach. Dead dolphin.

2025, February 20. Germany, Lower Saxony, Wadden Sea island of Minsener Oog, south-east of the island of Wangerooge. A humpback washed ashore dead. The remote island, which lies west of the mouth of the Jade and east of the island of Wangerooge, is around four kilometers from the mainland. At the beginning of 2016, 30 young sperm whales were stranded and died in the North Sea, two of them on Wangeroog beach.

2025, February 22. Greece, Kriti (Crete), Chania, Pachia Ammos. The discovery of three dead dolphins washed up on the shores.

Image: Citynewstv/dpa  

The 2018 Cuviers Beaked Dolphin strandings in the Inner Hebredies

In one month, August/September more whales washed ashore than in the previous 10 years. The whales were found dead on the coasts of Scotland and Ireland following several strandings of the animals. Many of the whales were in an advanced state of decomposition. Eleven whales were found dead over one week in August. More than 70 were located on the shores of Scotland and Ireland. In Scotland, 20 whales were found dead in the Western Isles, 16 in Argyll and Bute and two in the Highlands. Twenty stranded in Ireland. One of the whales was found dead in Northern Ireland, and the rest in the Republic of Ireland. Some were found dead along the shores of North Uist and Harris in the Western Isles. Most of the animals that died were Cuvier's and True's beaked whales, which are a deep-diving species.   

2018, May 3. Celtic Sea. Airburst. (46.9, -7.5). Time: 07:23. e = 3.8, -e = 0.13 or 130,000 kg/TNT. Altitude: 39 km. Velocity: 11.5 km/s.

Above is the airburst location near the continental shelf. It is an ideal feeding ground for deep-diving whales. 

Ireland whale death

2024, July 2. Ireland, west Kerry peninsula. Boatmen moved a dead humpback whale floating between Brandon and the Maharees.

Kerry boatmen work together to move dead humpback whale in Brandon area | Irish Independent