Whaling Watch has published the first substantial field guide in its broader research program: When a Whale Comes Ashore.

What was added

• A practical overview of the choices that can follow the death of a large stranded whale.
• Clear distinctions between decomposition-driven rupture, deliberate examination, and intentional explosive disposal.
• Sourced case studies from Taiwan, Massachusetts, Newfoundland and Labrador, Aotearoa New Zealand, and Oregon.
• Successful transport, scientific preservation, and cultural management alongside more sensational incidents.
• A visible research ledger naming disputed or incomplete material that has not yet been published as fact.

Editorial decision

The 2013 Faroe Islands case and conflicting measurements for the 2004 Tainan sperm whale remain outside the factual narrative until stronger original documentation is secured. Sonar and live-stranding causation will be treated as a separate evidence review.