Mystery as 200 dolphins wash up on a tourist beach on Cape Verde - with some beaching themselves after locals managed to drag them back to sea

  • Residents found hundreds of dolphins beached on Boa Vista beach on Tuesday 
  • Reports say that 200 melon-headed dolphins drove themselves on to the sand 
  • Environmental group has taken samples from 50 dolphins and await the results  
  • Theories on why dolphins beach themselves are abundant but no sure answer

By Ryan Fahey For Mailonline and Associated Press

Published: | Updated:

Nearly 200 dolphins stranded themselves on a beach on an island off the coast of West Africa on Tuesday. 

Authorities in the Cape Verde islands have called on Spanish experts to help determine why the mammals beached themselves. 

Local media reported that around 200 melon-headed dolphins were found on a beach on Boa Vista island on Tuesday. 

Officials, residents and tourists managed to drag some of them back out to sea, but many returned.

Authorities in the Cape Verde islands are waiting for experts from Spain to help determine why more than 100 dolphins died on a local beach

Authorities in the Cape Verde islands are waiting for experts from Spain to help determine why more than 100 dolphins died on a local beach

Despite the efforts of locals and scientists to save the dolphins, authorities had to bury 136of them with a bulldozer

Despite the efforts of locals and scientists to save the dolphins, authorities had to bury 136of them with a bulldozer

Despite their efforts, authorities had to bury 136 dead dolphins.

Although some of the dolphins swam off and survived the mass beaching, experts fear that they may not have long left to live due to the trauma of their ordeal. 

Scientists believe that the leader of the dolphin school may have got lost or disorientated and the rest of the animals followed.  

BIOS Cape Verde, a volunteer environmental association in the former Portuguese colony, said on its Facebook page Friday that it took samples from 50 dolphins and four others were placed in deep freeze by the local council.

The group said veterinarians from the University of Las Palmas in Spain's Canary Islands are due in the coming days to perform tests.

The dolphins were found off the coast of West Africa on the Cape Verde island of Boa Vista

The dolphins were found off the coast of West Africa on the Cape Verde island of Boa Vista

Conservationists have taken samples from 50 of the animals to try to work out what happened

Conservationists have taken samples from 50 of the animals to try to work out what happened

Local media report that around 200 melon-headed dolphins were found on a beach on Boa Vista island on Tuesday. Officials, residents and tourists managed to drag some of them back out to sea, but many returned

Local media report that around 200 melon-headed dolphins were found on a beach on Boa Vista island on Tuesday. Officials, residents and tourists managed to drag some of them back out to sea, but many returned

In March it was reported that 1,100 dolphins had beached themselves on the shores of France in just three months, a 40-year record high

In March it was reported that 1,100 dolphins had beached themselves on the shores of France in just three months, a 40-year record high

Activists warned that similar incidence have been seen in the past and called for the protection of the the diverse wildlife off the Atlantic coast of Africa. 

In March it was reported that 1,100 dolphins had beached themselves on the shores of France in just three months, a 40-year record high. 

Many were mutilated with injuries sustained from being trapped in fishing nets and having their fins cut off. 

Dolphin Beaching

A dolphin can be seen beached on the sand of an English beach

A dolphin can be seen beached on the sand of an English beach

  • Over 2,000 dolphins and whales beach themselves every year
  • Though theories are abundant, there is no definite answer as to why
  • Lone strandings, of one animal, are usually due to injury or illness
  • Mass strandings are far more rare
  • One theory is that the social cohesion of dolphins causes the others to follow an injured  individual
  • Other reasons suggested are birthing difficulties, hunting too close to the shore or old age and weakness making it difficult to fight against the current
  • There have been occasions when dolphins and whales have stranded shortly after military sonar was active nearby, suggesting sonar could be a factor

 

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