North East Brazil - cetacean strandings and meteors

Rio Grande do Norte (Northeast Brazil). At least 77 strandings of marine animals — including baleias (whales) and dolphins were recorded on beaches along the Rio Grande do Norte coast in the first 33 days of 2026. This includes multiple cetaceans such as sperm whales (cachalotes) and likely others, though species-level details for each stranding weren’t listed in initial reports. Reported by the Centro de Estudos e Monitoramento Ambiental (CEMAM) and Projeto Cetáceos da Costa Branca.

Below is the last year of events. Because of the numerous cetacean strandings, I haven't listed them all.

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.

2025, April 23. Brazil. A very large bright fireball exploded in the sky over southern coast at 22:03 UTC on April 23, 2025.

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, 39.5W). Altitude: 24.0km. Velocity: 20.72km/sec. Energy: e = 15.3e10, -e = 0.44 or 440,000 kg/TNT. Travelling east. Seen inland as far as 140 km and 216km from event. Several observers reported persistent trails lasting up to 90 seconds. It displayed properties of concurrent and delayed sound.

2025, July 18. Brazil, Pontal do Sul beach resort in Pontal do Paraná. A juvenile humpback whale was found dead. The animal, measuring approximately 8 meters long, was already in advanced stages of decomposition.

2025, December 8. Brazil. Major Northeast Brazil Fireball: A "giant" and very bright meteor was recorded crossing the skies of Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, and Pernambuco. Two days later on December 10, 2025 – Northeast Fireball Streak: another bright fireball was reported specifically over Brazil's Northeast region.

2026, February 1. Brazil, north east, beach of the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, Via Costeira, in Natal. Cachalot (sperm whale) carcass came ashore in advanced state of decomposition. The whale was dead for some weeks and was 8 to 9 meters long (likely a juvenile or young adult). 

Image: Sérgio Henrique Santos/Inter TV Cabugi  

First ever recorded Fin whale stranding in Taiwan

2025, March 3. Taiwan, Guishan Island's northern coast. A Fin whale calf was found dead on a rocky shoreline. The 10.5-meter-long whale is the first recorded case of a complete fin whale beaching in the country. The stranding site was not accessed by authorities until March 27. 

Photo courtesy of Chang Hong-jie

Two decomposing whales in India and USA

2024, June 24. India, Arnala Village in Virar west, west coast India. The Baleen whale is very decomposed. It was said to be nearly 100 feet long, so possibly a blue whale or sub species.

VIDEO: 30-Ft-Long Whale Carcass Washes Ashore Near Virar's Arnala (freepressjournal.in)

2024, June 24. USA, Maine, Harpswell, between Bailey and Orr's Islands. Will's Gut near the Cribstone Bridge. The Baleen whale is very decomposed.

Dead whale spotted floating offshore near Harpswell (youtube.com)

Dead whale spotted floating offshore near Harpswell | newscentermaine.com

Dead whale washes ashore in California

2024, June 17. USA, California, San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Cowell Ranch Beach. Dead Humpback whale. The advanced state of decomposition suggests death greater than three weeks. This is the second dead whale to watch ashore in the Bay Area this year.

Dead whale washes ashore in Half Moon Bay – NBC Bay Area