Chile seeks outside help on whale beaching investigation

The Chilean government has requested foreign aid to investigate the mass beaching of 337 dead whales on Nov. 18.

The dead whales were spread over a wide swathe of southern Chile from the Gulf of Penas to close to the town of Puerto Natales.

Mauricio Ulloa from Chile's Protected Species Rescue and Conservation Unit said Tuesday that the country will seek outside help during the Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals in San Francisco later in December.

Ulloa will lead a workshop at the conference dedicated to investigating the mass deaths among marine mammals.

According to the attorney general of the coastal town of Puerto Aysen in southern Chile, the "red tide" could have led to the mass beaching. However, a new investigation is about to begin to determine whether any other factors contributed to the tragedy.

Starting in January 2016, Chile's National Fishery Service will begin a scientific expedition joined by international experts on the issue.

"We can still study their genetics, their food habits, the age of the dead whales and their degree of consanguinity. If new beachings happen, we will take necropsies and fresh samples to determine the cause of death," said Ulloa. Endi