337 humpback whales, including 32 skeletons, have been found dead on a beach in the Gulf of southern Chile, the Daily Mail reported on December 2. The average weight of these whales is 20 tons, which scientists say is the largest group of whales ever stranded. At present, human factors have been excluded, but the specific reasons have not been announced.
Biologist vreni haussermann found 37 whale carcasses in June while flying over a bay in Patagonia, southern Chile. Subsequently, through satellite photography, the team finally found 337 whale carcasses between Penas Bay and port Natales in South America. Scientists say this is the largest group of stranded whales on record.
Carolina Simon gutstein, a paleontologist at the University of Chile, believes that the whales may not have died from grounding, but may have died in the sea. At present, the specific reasons have not been investigated, but human intervention has been ruled out.
Scientists say the study of the whale death will help people understand their habits and develop more effective protection measures, including the establishment of a whale sanctuary in Penas harbor. Hoyserman declined to publish the findings, saying the final results would be published in a recent scientific journal.