All sperm whales that were stranded on the Danish island of Fanø have been confirmed dead. On Friday, four stranded sperm whales were discovered along Denmark’s coast by the North Sea, followed by the discovery of two more the next day. By Saturday, two of the whales had not yet been declared dead, and the Danish environmental agency decided to wait for a natural death before proceeding. The last surviving whale, a 13.6-meter-long sperm whale that had stranded at southern Fanø, eventually did not survive.

The jaws of these whales will be sent for analysis at the University of Copenhagen to determine potential causes of their stranding. All of the stranded whales are believed to be young males, but the reasons for their disorientation and subsequent beaching remain unclear. The strandings have raised concerns among marine biologists regarding the health of the marine environment and potential changes in whale behavior due to various factors.

These strandings follow a worrying pattern, as sperm whales had previously stranded along the Danish coast in late January to early February, with reports of other strandings occurring in locations like Ålbæk Bugt and Blåvand. Such incidents highlight the challenges marine life faces, pointing toward environmental issues that may be contributing to these tragic events, necessitating further research and monitoring.