The government of Cyprus is investigating the death of seven Cuvier’s beaked whales along the rugged coastline in the northern part of the island.
This marks the highest number of whale deaths recorded in Cyprus, located in the eastern Mediterranean, where whale sightings are uncommon, authorities reported on February 11.
The carcasses belong to the species Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris), known for its ability to dive deeper and longer than any other marine mammal, were found washed up on beaches between the town of Polis and the village of Pachyammos.
A Cuvier’s beaked whale washed ashore on the coast of Cyprus on February 10. (Photo: Reuters).
In another report, three additional Cuvier’s beaked whales were also found dead on the further eastern coastline in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
The cause of death for these animals has not yet been definitively determined. According to Yiannis Ioannou from the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research (DFMR), they may have been affected by the large earthquake that occurred in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, over 400 km away from Cyprus.
NASA reported on February 10 that the earthquake originated from a fault line located 18 km below the surface, causing severe tremors that affected areas hundreds of kilometers from the epicenter.
Experts from the DFMR are conducting examinations of the whale carcasses and collecting samples for further analysis.
Cuvier’s beaked whale is one of the largest beaked whale species. An adult typically measures between 5.8 to 7 meters in length and weighs between 2 to 3.5 tons. They can dive for up to 222 minutes and reach depths of nearly 3,000 meters beneath the water surface.
During shallower dives, Cuvier’s beaked whales tend to remain silent to avoid predators. At depths exceeding 200 meters, they utilize echolocation to hunt for food.
Therefore, exposure to high noise levels from earthquakes or human-made sources, such as naval sonar, appears to disrupt the whales’ behavior and is associated with many previous mass stranding events.
