Hundreds of young whales are dying off the coast of Argentina. What's the reason?
Hundreds of southern right whale calves have died off the coast of Argentina in recent months. According to preliminary data, a bacterial infection may have been the cause of the mass mortality, writes the French news agency AFP.
An alarming situation has been observed since June, and this week dozens of dead whale calves were washed ashore in the southern part of the country. Mariana Cascarella, a researcher at the Marine Mammal Laboratory of the National Scientific and Technical Research Council, noted that this year the mortality rate among young whales is particularly high.
Scientists believe that the animals may have died as a result of an outbreak of erysipelas — a serious disease caused by bacteria that live on the skin of whales. However, experts believe that the cause is likely natural, although the influence of human activity cannot be entirely ruled out yet.
According to Cascarella, the current deaths of whales should not pose a threat to the population in the region in the medium term. Experts continue to investigate the causes of death of the animals.
The Argentine city of Puerto Madryn and the nearby Valdés Peninsula are important breeding grounds for southern right whales. Adult animals can reach 17 meters in length and weigh an average of about 40 tons — approximately as much as four elephants. Their average lifespan is about 60 years.
In 2025, a record number of southern right whales was recorded in this area — 2110 individuals, including about 800 calves. This year, according to local authorities, there are about 1375 whales in these waters, including almost 400 calves.
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