--- title: "Sperm whales beached in England: what happened?" description: "\"Last week, five sperm whales washed up on our shores. But what caused them to beach? Natural event or environmental disaster? \"" image: https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/SpermWhale-DanKitwood-GettyImages-8.jpg --- [![almonature-logo-4](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/almonature-logo-4.svg) ](https://www.almonature.com/en/?hsLang=en-gb) ![EN](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/country_flags/gb.svg) [![almonature-logo-4](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/almonature-logo-4.svg) ](https://www.almonature.com/en/?hsLang=en-gb) - Products - [Companion for Life](https://www.almonature.com/it/companion-for-life?hsLang=en-gb) - Call for Projects - About us - [Where to buy](https://www.almonature.com/it/trova-un-negozio?hsLang=en-gb) Products - Cat Food - Dog Food - Cat Litter Cat Food - [All Cat Food](https://www.almonature.com/it/prodotti-per-gatti?hsLang=en-gb) - [Functional](https://www.almonature.com/it/alimenti-funzionali?hsLang=en-gb) - [Kibble](https://www.almonature.com/it/gatto-crocchette?hsLang=en-gb) - [Wet food](https://www.almonature.com/it/gatto-umido?hsLang=en-gb) - [Snack](https://www.almonature.com/it/gatto-snack?hsLang=en-gb) [![bio-diversity-menu-icon](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/bio-diversity-menu-icon.png) Impact on biodiversity ](https://www.almonature.com/it/impatto-sulla-biodiversit%C3%A0?hsLang=en-gb) [![nutritional-advice-menu-icon](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/nutritional-advice-menu-icon.png) Cat nutrition advice ](https://www.almonature.com/it/consiglio-nutrizionale-gatto?hsLang=en-gb) Dog Food - [All Dog Food](https://www.almonature.com/it/prodotti-per-cani?hsLang=en-gb) - [Kibble](https://www.almonature.com/it/cane-crocchette?hsLang=en-gb) - [Wet food](https://www.almonature.com/it/cane-umido?hsLang=en-gb) - [Snack](https://www.almonature.com/it/cane-snack?hsLang=en-gb) [![bio-diversity-menu-icon](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/bio-diversity-menu-icon.png) Impact on biodiversity ](https://www.almonature.com/it/impatto-sulla-biodiversit%C3%A0?hsLang=en-gb) [![nutritional-advice-menu-icon](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/nutritional-advice-menu-icon.png) Dog nutrition advice ](https://www.almonature.com/it/consiglio-nutrizionale-cane?hsLang=en-gb) Cat Litter - [All Litter](https://www.almonature.com/it/lettiere?hsLang=en-gb) - [Soft Texture](https://www.almonature.com/it/catlitter-soft-texture?hsLang=en-gb) - [Grain Texture](https://www.almonature.com/it/catlitter-grain-texture?hsLang=en-gb) Call for Projects - [Home Page](https://www.almonature.com/it/re-community?hsLang=en-gb) - [Participating projects](https://www.almonature.com/it/companion-for-life/projects?hsLang=en-gb) - [International commission](https://www.almonature.com/it/companion-for-life/re-community-giuria?hsLang=en-gb) - [FAQs](https://www.almonature.com/it/companion-for-life/faqs-domande-frequenti?hsLang=en-gb) - [Download the call for projects](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/re-community-projects/UK-Companion-for-Life-Call-for-Project-Annex-1-and-2.pdf?hsLang=en-gb) About us - [Brand Profile](https://www.almonature.com/it/manifesto?hsLang=en-gb) - [Our history](https://www.almonature.com/it/la-storia?hsLang=en-gb) - [The company](https://www.almonature.com/it/rendicontazione?hsLang=en-gb) - [Reintegration Economy](https://www.almonature.com/it/reintegration-economy?hsLang=en-gb) ![Sperm whales beached in England: what happened?](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/SpermWhale-DanKitwood-GettyImages-8.jpg) Last week, three sperm whales were found washed up on the Lincolnshire coast, two at Gibraltar Point and another in nearby Skegness, only days after another was found on a beach in Norfolk; a fifth was later found at Wainfleet. Twelve more carcasses (thought to be from the same pod) were also discovered on beaches in the Netherlands and Germany.An extraordinary event that made people think of another environmental and biodiversity disaster: messages were spray-painted on the dead whales' bodies, saying ‘ *Mans Fault' [sic]*, ‘ *CND'* (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) and referencing ‘ *Fukushima'* – the stricken Japanese nuclear power station.   ![MansFault-Getty-ImagesCR](https://blog.almonature.com/hs-fs/hubfs/MansFault-Getty-ImagesCR.jpeg?width=624&name=MansFault-Getty-ImagesCR.jpeg)   ![CND-Getty-Images-CR](https://blog.almonature.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CND-Getty-Images-CR.webp?width=624&name=CND-Getty-Images-CR.webp)   **What really happened to the whales?**Dr Peter Evans, director of [the Sea Watch Foundation](http://www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk/the-sad-spate-of-sperm-whale-strandings-in-the-southern-north-sea/), explained “Sadly, this kind of thing happens periodically as sperm whales congregate in social cohesive groups, which we call pods, and can often strand together. They feed principally on squid and what has probably happened is that one or more shoals of squid have entered the North Sea from the Atlantic and the whales followed them, fed upon them, and then maybe ran out of food."   ![DeadSpermWhale-GettyImages](https://blog.almonature.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DeadSpermWhale-GettyImages.webp?width=624&name=DeadSpermWhale-GettyImages.webp)   Sperm whales quickly run into trouble if they enter the North Sea around the UK because the water is so shallow, and the navigational sound pulses they send out don't bounce back well in the shallow waters so the whales quickly become disorientated. Overnight on 28 th January, a team of 14 workers removed the 30-tonne animals, in a process that took just over five hours.Sources: [Independent](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/dead-whales-removed-from-skegness-beach-and-taken-to-landfill-sites-following-five-hour-operation-a6838451.html),  [BBC News Magazine](http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35399483),  [BBC News](http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-35400884)   #### Related Articles [![Spring: a risky time for cats and dogs](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/PrimaveraCaniGatti-4.jpg) ](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/spring-a-risky-time-for-cats-and-dogs?hsLang=en-gb) [Dogs,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/dogs) [Cats,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/cats) [Lifehacks,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/lifehacks) [Insights](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/insights) January 31,2016 ###### [Spring: a risky time for cats and dogs](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/spring-a-risky-time-for-cats-and-dogs?hsLang=en-gb) *With the arrival of spring and Easter, the opportunity to spend more time outdoors and to indulge in tasty confectionary delights arises, however, there are some...* [![The importance of Lucy's law: what's next for companion animals?](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/german-shepherd-dog-2440699_1920-1.jpg) ](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/importance-lucys-law-whats-next-companion-animals?hsLang=en-gb) Companion For Life, [Project stories](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/project-stories) January 31,2016 ###### [The importance of Lucy's law: what's next for companion animals?](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/importance-lucys-law-whats-next-companion-animals?hsLang=en-gb) **This week****,****the UK government announced a ban on ****the**** third party sales of puppies and kittens, meaning that pet shops, online dealers and other third party sellers ****...** [![Three things to consider before taking your dog in the car](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Dogs-in-car-4.png) ](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/three-things-consider-taking-dog-car?hsLang=en-gb) [Dogs,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/dogs) [Lifehacks,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/lifehacks) [Insights](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/insights) January 31,2016 ###### [Three things to consider before taking your dog in the car](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/three-things-consider-taking-dog-car?hsLang=en-gb) **Whether you are simply driving to the shops for a few kilometres or going on a road trip across the country, chances are you will take your dog with you at some stage....** [![Taking your dog on holiday: the dos and don'ts](https://blog.almonature.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/dog-1209914_1920-1.jpg) ](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/taking-your-dog-on-holiday-the-dos-and-donts?hsLang=en-gb) [Dogs,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/dogs) [Lifehacks,](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/lifehacks) [Insights](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/tag/insights) January 31,2016 ###### [Taking your dog on holiday: the dos and don'ts](https://blog.almonature.com/en-gb/taking-your-dog-on-holiday-the-dos-and-donts?hsLang=en-gb) **Travelling is a great way to relax and unwind for us humans. 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