The two Sowerby’s beaked whales that washed ashore in Heemskerk on Saturday were not sick. They died because they ended up on the beach. Both animals were still alive when they were found.
The dolphins were probably startled by something and went off course, causing them to wash ashore. They both had a minor infection from parasites, but that was not serious enough to cause death. This is according to the autopsy by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Utrecht University.
Therefore, the researchers conclude that stranding is the cause of death of the dolphins. The young adult male and the female washed ashore alive. One of them died shortly afterwards. A doctor from SOS Dolfijn had the other euthanized. “Euthanasia is the most humane choice because the dolphin cannot survive otherwise,” a spokesperson told NU.nl earlier.
It does not often happen that Sowerby’s beaked whales wash ashore in the Netherlands. The animals do not normally occur in the North Sea either, because it is not deep enough for them.
Sowerby’s beaked whales form a separate family (Ziphiidae) among the toothed whales. They are characterized by their narrow pointed snout. The animals are usually 4 to 13 meters long. Because many of these dolphins occur in the middle of the ocean, not much is known about their behavior.