Walk by the seaside turned sour when I saw the gory site. A massive whale turtled and taking her last few prized breaths. Who wants to see them die? Our precious magnificent giants. Many were gathered to capture and click that looks alien and lives deep inside. Kids were flocking to witness that comes directly out of their school animal books.
A tiny tot asked his father – ‘Is this a Blue Whale?’ Another gauging by the length – Bigger than my school!
One elderly said it’s a yearly pattern nothing new in this Suicide.
Suicide! I asked him – do they also commit suicide?
Yes, Yes of course! I have seen many of them – dolphins and whales alike; beaching themselves to die.
But Why! Why do they die? Or rather bring themselves on the shore. I heard they have natural sonars & navigation skills blessed by the almighty. Are we responsible for this disaster too?
Many questions were swirling around my head, when I turned to net and checked about the pattern of this suicide. Researchers have their various speculations but none is sure why such smart species kill themselves.
Dolphins are smartest as we have been told, so why would they follow an injured one? To risk their life for no reason! T.V documentaries vouch for their intelligence and various claims about the navigation skills. So, won’t these smart mammals know where they are heading to – A Beach!
Inflicted by a suicide inducing parasite, or by following an injured. One thing is sure that this is a mystery to the science as well as a layman like me or you.
A misjudgment, a secret pact or a pattern – who knows the facts. But beaching is killing the beautiful glorious titans from the ocean and our ecosystem.
I’m taking part in the Write Tribe ProBlogger Challenge.
© Dipika Singh (gleefulblogger)
33 Comments
Dipika, what a take on the prompt! Super! I never knew about this pattern among the Dolphins.
Thanks Aesha, yes this is mostly with Orca, smaller species of whales and dolphins.
o my goodness, i wasn’t aware of this. I ll ask my husband, he once got obsessed with water species. he might not. Also can it like their social norm or stupid ritual like how we had sati.
No one knows what this actually is, but this is so disheartening. It’s called Beaching.
This is something new i came to know. I wasn’t aware of it till now. Its kind of sad in a way and mysterious that no one was able to find the reason behind this pattern!
I have been hearing this since a long and read in high seas of Scotland this is a recorded pattern. Hope we can save them in future for our future.
This is new to me. I am shocked to know about this information. I believe there is something more to it. Like some kind of toxicity happening in some unknown seas. I don’t know, but definitely this is mystery.
Thank you for reading Jayanthy, hope this can be cured and such glorious titans can be saved.
That’s an intriguing and mysterious pattern. Sad that such magnificent creatures die like this. A fab take on the prompt, Dipika!
Its probably man made of the patterns are more recent. Sad to see these glorious giants die. A good topic.
Yes, it’s real sad but the reasons are still unknown to science and well as researchers. Thank You for reading Lata 🙂
You did this so well! It is truly a gory sight to see such magnificent animals lying dead on the beach like that. Wish the pattern was clearer to us…
Thanks darling, glad you liked it. I wish the same, it’s disheartening to see such glorious ones dying.
This is a disheartening to see such beautiful creations of motherhood nature dying like this. Loved your post.
Wow! had read about beaching long back. This post jogged my memory of the practice and what a creative way to co-relate with the prompt!
Thank You so much for reading and appreciating.
We don’t know yet… Is it sonar flared or global warming or simply intelligence. Unfortunately not much is done to change the pattern of the whales who commit suicides.
Yes that’s the irony science still doesn’t have answer to this. it’s disheartening to see then die like this.
Thank you for reading 🙂
I felt the same sense of shock and disappointment when I read for the first time about the mass suicides of aquatic animals…Sad isn’t it?? On the flipside,I loved the way you utilized the prompt….
True, felt really bad seeing all that in documentaries and news channels. Thank you so much for appreciating & reading.
What unresolved problem might be triggering this beaching suicide? Or is it something like Vana prasthashram or sanyashram that people in earlier ages used to undertake to complete their journey of life, after finishing their duties? Oh I got too carried away with this thought… Dipika, rescue me please!
Wonderful take dear!
– Anagha From Team MocktailMommies
This is a sad pattern to witness. Very nice take on the prompt.
It’s really sad. Never heard of it before. I’ve seen dead star fishes on the shore,and just knew that they come with the waves. Looking forward to read more posts from you.
Loved your take on the prompt, Dipika.
A great message to spread awareness, but a sad site to witness.
I have read about this strange behaviour pattern before.
That is indeed a mystery! You have managed to create awareness, while working on the prompt
I have come across this news on various platforms and still is as disheartening as the first time I read it. Hope too much human intereference is not responsible for this. Thanks for creating awareness!
Oh now this is a unique post on this prompt; I never knew that this was a pattern with these sea creatures to come to the beach to die!
A nice take on the prompt Dipika…I wasn’t aware of this. Are Humans really responsible for this? Sad.
Ye to mujhy kya, shyad kisi ko pata na ho, bahut taklif hui
I knew about beaching but not about the suicides. Great write!
Thank you Lavanya. This is a very depressing phenomenon.
I had read about this suicide pattern in school or may be in college in my biology class. This is really sad that in spite of having all the technology and best marine scientists, we are still not able to find out the truth behind this mystery.
This was really something too sad to read. I never knew about this.