It is with much sadness that we report on an orca stranding that happened at Melkbosstrand in Cape Town on 6 October. The beautiful black and white animal was spotted by members of the public, who then alerted the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI). One three-metre orca had beached and was found at the Melkbosstrand river mouth.
Sadly, the whale was already dead by the time the NSRI reached it.
Found in all the oceans of the world, orcas number at around 50 000, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species. They are social and playful animals, with the second-largest brains among marine mammals, and make for a popular choice at aquatic theme parks.
The causes of whale beachings remain a mystery and scientists continue to come up with theories to explain these traumatic events. Some say individual whales beach themselves when suffering from a fatal injury or illness.
