It was exactly a year today that 55 pilot whales tragically stranded on the Isle of Lewis with only one individual successfully refloated. The other 54 sadly didn’t survive.
We have been reflecting on the day’s events and the unwavering dedication of the Lewis community, Stornoway Coastguard, the Police, Stornoway and Shawbost Fire and Rescue, SMASS, SSPCA, Civil Air Support, CalMac, and of course, our BDMLR Medics who are still committed to helping marine life on the Western Isles, despite witnessing such a traumatic event. We couldn’t thank you enough for all your hard work.
As we remember those 55 whales today, we of course are still reliving the events on the island of Sanday, Orkney last week where a total of 77 pilot whales also lost their lives. We certainly weren’t expecting to see another mass stranding like this again so soon.
Pilot whales are extremely social creatures and rely on their family bonds to survive, which means they stick together constantly, often leading to their demise if one of their pod members gets into difficulty. BDMLR works tirelessly to attend to animals like these but our current resources can only go so far. If you would like to help us to help more marine life, please consider making a donation here.
Photos: James Myles.