77 whales have tragically died in a large stranding on a Scottish beach.

A heartbreaking scene unfolded on a remote Scottish island as an entire pod of 77 pilot whales found themselves stranded on a beach. This is believed to be the largest mass stranding in the UK in decades. The locals on the isle of Sanday in Orkney first spotted the pod on Thursday morning and immediately raised the alarm.

The British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) was quickly called in to help the stranded whales. Their regional team swiftly mobilized and brought along necessary equipment as they made their way to the island. Meanwhile, they awaited more information on the situation from the few medics already on Sanday. According to a statement on their website, the group stated, "Our team was immediately dispatched to the island, while we waited for updates from the medics on the ground."

Unfortunately, by the time the medics arrived, the whales had already been stranded for several hours. The situation was dire, with only 12 of the 77 animals still alive. The medics immediately sprang into action, conducting health assessments and providing first aid to the surviving whales as the incoming tide approached. Their goal was to try and refloat the animals back into the ocean. However, their efforts were hindered by the high likelihood that the whales had inhaled water with the tide, causing further injury.

Despite their best efforts, the medics were forced to make a difficult decision and euthanize the remaining whales. It was a devastating outcome for all involved. Now, the Scottish Marine Animals Stranding Scheme is working to recover as many of the whales' bodies as possible for post-mortem examinations. The hope is to gain a better understanding of why this mass stranding occurred.

According to BDMLR, there are no obvious reasons as to why the whales became stranded. However, it may take some time before the full results of the examinations are available due to the immense task at hand. Our hearts go out to the whales and all those who worked tirelessly to try and save them. May we learn from this tragedy and continue to strive towards protecting these magnificent creatures.

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