People have found sea animals that, for some unknown reason, were thrown ashore, at least since the first century AD - this is evidenced by ancient Roman and ancient Greek documents. Today, marine biologists undertake to name only half of these incidents, and the reasons are very different.
This is often an injury or illness. An animal that has been attacked by a predator may feel too weak to stay on the water, at some point it gives up and allows the waves to carry itself ashore.
Cases when a whole group of animals are thrown ashore are much more mysterious. One of the explanations that scientists offer is that whales and dolphins that hunt and migrate in small herds are victims of their own social structure. If the leader or dominant animal is washed ashore due to illness or injury, then the rest of the group can follow him. Another version is that the herd swims too close to the shore and does not have time to return at low tide.
In some cases, sea animals commit massive "suicides" soon after the active use of nearby military sonars. In 2000, on the Bogamy, for example, 17 animals of four different species (beaked whales, toothed whales, minke whales and spotted dolphins) were found on the shore in 36 hours - on the day the sonar was used in these places and on the following days.
Research carried out by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration since the incident has shown that naval echolocation devices were the most likely cause. Research data suggests that sonars influenced both the physical condition and behavior of marine animals.
It also happens that animals are thrown ashore on purpose - for hunting. Killer whales, for example, often attack pinnipeds, such as seals or sea lions, in the surf zone or near the very shore, where their victims change their way of movement from swimming to walking and do it quite awkwardly. While the animal tries to get out of the water, the killer whale makes a dash and grabs its prey. After that, she can either wait for a suitable wave, or try to return to the ocean, wriggling with her whole body.
Here is video evidence of one such hunt:
Sveta Gogol
Promotional video:
