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A report from Eric Poncelet of the Centre de Recherche sur les Mammifères Marins (CRMM) in La Rochelle, France states that around 350 cetaceans were found dead stranded since the beginning of 2000.
The stranding rate drastically increased on 10 Feb 2000. Some dead animals may still reach the coast, but to a lesser extent.
By order of decreasing frequency, the species are: common dolphin (96%), harbour porpoise, long-finned pilot whale, striped dolphin and bottlenose dolphin.
Among the 94 whales examined by the CRMM staff, 80% had bycatch marks. This doesn't mean that all these died in the nets, some may be dead when bycaught.
No virologic examination has been carried out. However, as a whole, the animals that could be necropsied seemed to be healthy (good blubber thickness and corpulence, full stomach).
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