Pilot whales return to scene of mass stranding

Rescuers are continuing to monitor six whales thought to be part of a group that beached on the coast of Skye in Scotland earlier this week.

The group seem to have returned again but did not appear to be at any risk at the moment.  Despite rescue efforts, eight whales of the group of 21 that stranded at Staffin early on Monday died.

The stranding was thought to have been triggered by a pregnant female having problems while calving.

Pilot whales often strand in large groups. They live in very tight social groups and usually when they strand it appears that either a lead individual has made a navigational mistake, or one individual has become sick or wounded and led the rest of its pod onto the shore.