MASS WHALE STRANDINGS CAUSED BY METEOROIDS AND METEOR SHOWERS. The completed paper can be found below in the 2024 January 7th post titled Connection between Meteoroids and Mass Whale Strandings. “It is not known why they sometimes run aground on the seashore: for it is asserted that this happens rather frequently when the fancy takes them and without any apparent reason.” -Arisotle
2025, August 2. USA, New Jersey, Barnegat Bay near the inlet. A Minke whale, approximately 20 feet in length, was in distress and struck a small vessel in shallow water. It died shortly after. It comes after the 30th July fireball. 2025, July 30. USA, Fireball. Seen in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Travelling SW across the New York/New Jersey Bight.
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2025, June 26. USA, Georgia, east of Blacksville and 50km SSE of Atlanta. Medium Airburst. Coordinates: (33.4N, 84.1W). Seen as far north as Cleveland in Ohio over 900km away. Altitude: 32.6 km. Energy: e = 17, -e = 48 or 480,000 kg/TNT. Sound: Had delayed and concurrent properties. Between 12:15 and 12:30 p.m. Eastern time, more than 100 reports of a possible fireball were submitted to the American Meteor Society website from Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Update: A meteor fragment has hit a house (crashed through the roof and floor). Tremor felt.
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Also 2025, June 25. Western Australia, Indian Ocean. Meteor. Approximately 260km south of Hamelin Bay. Velocity: 55.2 km/s. Duration: 2.52 sec. Coordinates: LLB: (-36.57, 114.61), LLE: ( -37.56, 113.67). Height: 114.58 to 99.71 km. Time: 16:33. A Marine Animal Disturbance Alert should still be noted for this region, even though it would be extremely unlucky to have a cetacean stranding. The meteors over the last two weeks are not large, just moderately consistent.
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2025 June 21. USA, California, San Francisco, Pacifica. A young female gray whale washed ashore deceased. Cause of death: undetermined, no necropsy performed. It's the 23rd whale to die in the Bay region this year.
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Even though there is no scientific evidence to suggest that a war involving Iran, the USA, and Israel would directly cause mass whale strandings in the Gulf of Oman or along the Persian Gulf coastlines, that is changing. Certain indirect consequences of military conflict could increase the risk of such events. It has been shown in the recent war with Russia and Ukraine that there have been tens of thousands of dolphins killed, whether from oil spills or direct percussion from weapons. It is not really known in the West, but Middle East waters are home to Blue Whales, Humpbacks (a long list of cetaceans) and some of the rarest marine wildlife in the world. It is a very delicate and fragile marine environment. Here's a breakdown of the issues at hand:
1. Naval Sonar and Underwater Explosions
There is a debate about whether whales are sensitive to sound, particularly low-frequency sonar used by military vessels. This has not been proven, and subsequent scientific research on the matter continues.
Naval activity in wartime — mid-frequency active sonar placed aside, depth charges, and underwater explosions can disorient whales, causing them to surface too quickly or strand themselves.
Previous incidents (e.g., strandings in the Mediterranean and Bahamas) have been linked to military exercises, not warfare, but the mechanisms are similar. They did try to blame sonar; however, the probable cause was more likely naval explosions and ship strikes.
2. Shipping Traffic and Oil Spills
War in the Persian Gulf would likely increase tanker and naval ship traffic.
Increased noise pollution and risk of oil spills or chemical contamination could stress or displace marine life.
Long-term degradation of habitats could indirectly contribute to strandings or abnormal behavior.
3. Environmental Degradation and Pollution
A full-scale conflict could cause:
Oil fires and leaks
Water contamination
Loss of food sources (e.g., plankton or fish)
These stressors might not cause strandings immediately, but they could weaken whales' health or navigational abilities over time.
4. Historical Precedent
There is no recorded instance of a military conflict alone causing mass whale strandings in this specific region. There has been mass strandings recorded in surrounding countries; however, the cause has never been determined.
Conflicts such as the Gulf War (1991) did lead to significant environmental damage, particularly to marine ecosystems.
Summary
A war would not automatically cause mass whale strandings, but it could create conditions that increase the likelihood, especially due to:
Underwater explosions
Increased noise
Environmental damage - basically poisoned.
Ship Stikes - mostly caused by uncontrollable and unpredictable ship navigation.
A list of countries that could be affected is large, including Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Iran, and as far south as Somalia and west to India. The water bodies include the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf.
Now that such a conflict has occurred, marine monitoring and environmental safeguards will be essential to prevent ecological fallout. Lastly, meticulous records are kept of whale strandings in the Middle East, with agencies working hard to protect their environment and ecosystem at large. If there is any uptick in cetacean stranding, it will be shown as an almost direct cause, unless there is a large meteor explosion in the region.
2025, June 18. USA, Florida, Jacksonville, Atlantic Beach, south of Hanna Park. Two dead cetaceans. A Gervais Beaked whale adult was 14 m long, and the calf was seven feet long.
2025, June 16. Mexico, Pacific Baja California Region. Fireball. Time: 22:00PDT, around 05:00 UT. Travelling NE. A Marine Animal Disturbance Alert is still in place for the Mexican and USA Pacific coastlines. With now 25 whale deaths in California since January, there could be a spike in cetacean casualties post this event.
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Also: 2025, June 17. USA, Florida, Miami Dade. A 13-foot-long juvenile cachalot (sperm whale) was humanely euthanised after stranding. The individual will undergo a necropsy at NOAA’s lab in Miami to help determine cause of death. The only fireball in the Florida region in the last 49 days was a small fireball that dispersed no delayed or concurrent sound. There was a large one on the 29th of April; however, its trajectory was mostly over land and north near Orlando. So, to wrap up, we have one fireball sighting and one stranding.
The vast majority of the event below also occurred over land; however, I do take note of these for research purposes.
2025, June 15. New Zealand, North Island. Meteor. Time: 13:41. Direction: SSW. Velocity: 51 km/s. Duration: 6.39 sec. Coordinates: Beg: (-37.24, 176.14), End: ( -39.85, 174.58). Height: (113.73, 104.48km). Connected Shower: June rho Cygnids. Distance: 320 km.
2025, June 16. Gulf of Oman, between the Pakistan and Iran border region. A blue whale measuring about 35 feet long was recorded dead at a remote area in Gwatar Bay. The whale was found floating near Kuntani in Balochistan region.
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2025, June 15. Germany, Wadden island. A young white-nosed/beaked dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) stranded. It self refloated on high tide. The animal was estimated 1.5 mtrs in length and in poor condition.
2025, June 13. USA, California, Richmond, Point Isabel shoreline. A dead Gray whale found on shoreline. It is one of more than a dozen whales found dead in the Bay Area this year. Earlier this month, another whale washed up on Montara Beach in San Mateo County. According to the Sausalito-based Marine Mammal Center, they've responded to 17 dead gray whales in the area. Five of the dead whales have been found in recent weeks. Thirty whales have been spotted this year in the Bay with only nine last year.
It is the highest death count of dead whales in 25 years.
In total, 22 whales have died in the greater San Francisco Bay region since January.
2025, June 10. Iceland, Reykjavík, Korpúlfsstaðir, Grafarvogur neighbourhood, Gorvík bay. An orca has stranded near the Korpa golf course in Reykjavík. Rescue workers are attempting to refloat the animal.
Update: 12062025, the Orca has been successfully refloated.
Update: 13062025, the Orca restranded and was unfortunately euthanised.
2025, June 6. USA, Alaska, Kodiak Island, Surfer’s Beach. A sub adult male gray whale, about 30 feet long corpse washed up near the southern end of Kodiak’s road system. Death due to Orca mortality. It's the fourth dead whale reported around the archipelago this year and the seventh found around Alaska.
2025, June 7. USA, California, San Francisco, Lands End. The cause of death is undetermined. This is the 18th whale that has stranded in the region this year.
2025, June 10. Nigeria, in Andoni LGA, Rivers State, Ikuru town beach. Juvenile Humpback stranded and Ikuru community butchered for meat. Once again calls to not consume meat from cetaceans was ignored.
Update: 2025, June 10. USA, New Jersey, coast of Brigantine. A Bottlenose Dolphin was euthanised after stranding.
2025, June 7. Western Australia, Great Australian Bight, 460km south of Perth. Meteor. Shower (Daytime Arietids). Coordinates: (B -36.14, 116.06, E-36.70, 114.95). Velocity: 43km/s. Duration: 2.04 seconds. Height B to E: 103-96km. Another one that started 7 minutes later on the mainland, broke up on entry. With the migration season well underway, a Marine Animal Disturbance Alert should be noted for the SW coastal region of Western Australia. Areas such as Busselton and Bunbury are at higher risk.
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2025, May 29. USA, Oregon, Cachalot (sperm whale). Adult male, measured approximately 53 ft long. Cause of death: It appears to have been due to a pre-mortem vessel strike interaction.
2025, June 1. UK, Cleethorpes. Dead dolphin.
2025, June 1. UK, Cleveleys beach. A dead porpoise. It’s the latest porpoise to wash up on a Fylde coast beach in recent months, with others discovered on beaches in Fleetwood and Blackpool.
2025, June 2. USA, Massachusetts, Cape Cod Bay. Fireball. Time: 20:07EDT Seen in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Rhode Island. A Marine Animal Disturbance Alert should be noted for this region due to historical data showing it as a cetacean stranding hotspot. Update: Cancel Alert due to information suggesting this event was above the inland coast, not water.
The Gray whales on the east coast of the USA had a terrible winter break, interrupted by two large meteor airbursts off the coast of Mexico (see posts below regarding MAD's issued for these events). Since then, they have headed north and swum into repeated fireball events. This has played out very similarly to what happens on the East Coast of the USA when they have numerous fireball events.
2025, May 20. Pacific, USA, California. Fireball. Time: 23:34PDT or May 21st 2025 around 06:36 UT. Travelling NE. Entered the atmosphere approximately 100km NW of San Francisco Bay.
2025, May 21. USA, California, off Mare Island in Vallejo, San Pablo Bay. A 39-foot adult female Gray whale. It was first sighted May 12 at the Phillips 66 refinery in Rodeo.
2025, May 21. USA, California, Bolinas. Yearling Gray whale. Undetermined (partial necropsy conducted; inconclusive).
2025, May 22. USA, California, Fisherman’s Bay (Southeast Farallon Island). Gray whale. Undetermined (no necropsy performed).
2025, May 24. USA, California, north-west of San Francisco Bay. Fireball. Time: 00:08PDT.
2025, May 24. USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Berkeley Pier. Dead female sub-adult Gray whale. Undetermined (no necropsy performed).
2025, May 26. USA, California, Alcatraz. Suspected Gray whale. Undetermined (no necropsy performed).
2025, May 26. USA, California, Point Bonita. Gray whale. Undetermined (no necropsy performed). Five gray whales have died in the greater Bay Area over the past week.
2025, May 28. USA, California, San Francisco Bay. Fireball. Time: 23:23PDT. Traveling west to east.
2025, May 28. USA, California, Gulf of Farallones, Alamere Falls, Point Reyes National Seashore. A Gray whale dead, the cause of death is undetermined.
2025, May 31. USA, California, coastal region north of San Francisco Bay. Fireball. 22:09PDT.
2025, May 31. USA, California, Gulf of Farallones, Montara State Beach Devil’s Slide. A dead Gray whale in a moderate to advanced state of decomposition. The Montara State Beach whale marks the seventh death in the Bay Area in the past week and the sixteenth so far this year.
2025, May 28. USA, California, San Francisco Bay. Fireball. Time: 23:23PDT. Traveling west to east.
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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.
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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
2025, September 9. South Atlantic, 77km off the coast of Brazil in Ceará. Airburst. Time:17:49:10UT, 14:433 time zones. Coordinates: (2.3S, ...
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