Cetacean strandings on Sable Island, Nova Scotia, 1970-1998

Two hundred and sixty-seven cetaceans, in 102 stranding events, were record ed between 1970 and 1998 on Sable Island off the coast of Nova Scotia. Seve nteen species were represented: Blue Whale (I single stranding), Fin Whale (1 single stranding), Minke Whale (3 single strandings), Humpback Whale (4 single strandings), Sperm Whale (8 strandings, 13 animals), Pygmy Sperm Wha le (3 strandings, 4 animals), Dwarf Sperm Whale (2 single strandings), Nort hern Bottlenose Whale (3 single strandings), Sowerby's Beaked Whale (1 sing le stranding), Killer Whale (1 single stranding), Long-finned Pilot Whale ( 37 strandings, 173+ animals), White-beaked Dolphin (1 stranding, 2 animals) , Atlantic White-sided Dolphin (9 strandings, 13 animals), Risso's Dolphin (1 single stranding), Striped Dolphin (8 strandings, 22 animals), Short-bea ked Common Dolphin (4 strandings, 6 animals), Harbour Porpoise (11 strandin gs, 13 animals). The records of the Dwarf Sperm Whale and that of the Risso 's Dolphin are the first for eastern Canada. The record of the Sowerby's Be aked Whale is the first reported stranding in Nova Scotia. Humpback, Minke, and Killer whales, and Short-beaked Common Dolphins have not previously be en recorded stranded on Sable Island. The majority of stranding events (84) were of a single animal; nine involved two animals; eight involved 3-10 an imals; and one event involved over 130 animals. Recorded strandings increas ed from 1.9 strandings/year between 1970-1989 to 7.1 strandings/year betwee n 1990-1998. Mass strandings of multiple male Sperm Whales have occurred th ree times (all since 1990). All Atlantic White-sided Dolphin strandings inv estigated were also comprised of male animals.