The number of whales and dolphins getting stranded on the Scottish coastline has increased at an exponential rate over the last 30 years. Researchers from the University of Glasgow analysed data from 5,147 marine mammals stranded between 1992 and 2022. The study marks the first time scientists have been able to quantify the scale of the increase in marine strandings around Scotland’s coastline. Common dolphins and baleen whales showed particularly steep increases in strandings since 2010; harbour porpoises accounted for over half of all strandings, though increases were observed across all species studied. In such events, a marine mammal is usually found dead on a beach, or is alive on land or in shallow water but unable to return to its ocean habitat.
A total of 150 animals have so far mass-stranded in Scotland this year.
The study has been published in Scientific Reports and can be accessed at this link
