Whale Deaths Linked to Turkey Earthquake
A number of whales washed up dead on the northern shores of Cyprus last week. It is thought the deaths could be linked to the massive earthquakes in neighbouring Turkey and Syria.
A pod of four beaked whales were found beached in Argaka, Paphos, on Thursday. Locals managed to guide three, which were still alive, back to sea. The fourth died, according to the Cyprus department of fisheries and marine research.
A further six whales were found dead on Friday between Polis and Pachyammos. It is unknown whether some of these were the ones that had been returned to the sea the previous day.
Whales use underwater sound as their primary way to communicate and assess their environment. Ocean noise can affect deep-diving whales' ability to navigate, find food and avoid predators. It is thought that seismic vibrations from the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria may have disoriented the whales.
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