A military exercise in the Bay of Bengal may have caused the mass beaching of more than short-finned pilot whales in Sri Lanka this week, experts suggested.

Tissue samples were collected from the dead whales to test for pathology, said A Navaratnerajah, National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) Chairman. The disoriented mammals mostly became stranded together on Monday.

Six whales were washed onto the Panadura beach near the estuary, and Wadduwa. Four whales and a spinner dolphin were found dead on Tuesday and another two carcasses were found the next day.

http://www.sundaytimes.lk/201108/news/military-op-in-bay-of-bengal-may-have-disoriented-pod-of-whales-421929.html