Two adult northern bottlenose whales (Hyperoodon ampullatus) stranded in Öxarfjörður last night, near Lónsós in the area of Auðbjargarstaðir.
A staff member from the Húsavík Whale Museum, Garðar Þröstur Einarsson, went to the site along with Dr. Charla Basran from the University of Iceland’s Research Center. Emergency responders from the Northeast Iceland Police and the Garðar Search and Rescue Team were also present.
According to police reports, notification of the stranding came in around 19:00. Responders were immediately dispatched and public authorities were informed. Upon arrival, the whales were still alive but died shortly thereafter.
Upon inspection, it was confirmed that the animals were two adult males. A graduate student from the University of Iceland was able to verify that the same individuals had been seen earlier this summer in Skjálfandi Bay.
The cause of the stranding is unknown. Later today, staff from the University of Iceland’s Research Center, in collaboration with the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, will conduct sample collection to gather further information.
