MOSCOW, September 14 (RIA Novosti) - Nearly 50 pilot whales have died after stranding themselves on a beach in the southern Argentinean province of Chubut, local media reported.
The dead animals were found on Sunday morning on the beach near the settlement of Bahia Bustamante by two workers at a local enterprise.
Experts from the Patagonia National Center arrived at the scene to investigate the causes of the incident.
The reasons for whale beachings are not understood despite many well-documented occurrences.
Mass strandings of pilot whales, which are very social and travel in large groups usually of 20-90 animals, are not uncommon and can involve up to several hundred of the mammals.
They may be caused by problems navigating when following prey or traveling, possibly due to magnetic field irregularities, or due to one or several animals becoming ill, perhaps with parasites affecting their navigational system.
Like the larger killer whale, pilot whales are members of the dolphin family. They can be seen in Chubut waters from May to November, when whale-watching trips are available for tourists.
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