WHALE strandings are no longer quite such a mystery 鈥 on the beaches of south-east Australia at least. An analysis of data collected over more than 80 years has revealed that a disproportionate number of cetaceans beach themselves in the region every 10 to 12 years. The stranding events appear to be triggered by a climate phenomenon called the zonal westerly winds.
“Strandings were thought to be pretty random events 鈥 or suspected of being linked to climate events like El Ni帽o 鈥 but nothing had been demonstrated. We have shown a clear pattern,” says Mark Hindell of the Antarctic Wildlife Research Unit at the University of…
