By Kirsten Massebeau

Local residents and volunteers of Hokota, Ibaraki worked tirelessly to save the lives of 150 melon headed whales stranded on the beach of Ibaraki, Japan. Via: CMP Facebook

150 melon headed whales washed up onto the shores of of Ibaraki, Japan April 10, 2015 (Japan times). Local residents and officials worked tirelessly to help the melon headed whales but sadly only three were eventually re-floated. These gregarious, and highly intelligent whales live in tight social communities, and are deep divers very susceptible to sonar and seismic testing. Each day strandings are increasing worldwide as the Navy, and Oil and Gas Corporations plunder the ocean with sound in warfare games, and in search of oil and gas pockets.

LHD 6 Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and, along with the Underway in the 7th Fleet Area of Operations immediately prior to melon headed whale stranding returning to port in Saesbo, Japan April 9th

It is of no surprise to opponents of sonar and seismic testing that this tragic incident would take place. Immediately prior to the stranding the US Navy was roaming the Pacific Ocean U.S. 7th Fleet AOR in Japanese waters.

USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) Aircraft carrier Underway with their fleet prior to Melon Headed Whales stranding.

The Navy openly states, the USS Bonhomme Richard LHD 6 was “Underway” in the first weeks of April. While they will release some locations of their movements, their actions remain “top secret” because of “security”. The LHD 6 is not just one ship but a component of a “fleet” of destroyers, helicopters, and submarines, that move at high speeds emitting sonar, underwater charges, marine fire and many other activities that, “harass” and kill cetaceans. Deep divers like the melon headed whales can suddenly lose control of their ability to pressurize their bodies at deep depths due to the intensified ping of warships, sonar, sonar buoys, and underwater charges.

SASEBO, Japan – USS Green Bay (LPD 20) arrived in Sasebo, bringing the Navy’s latest technology to its largest numbered fleet after transiting the Pacific Ocean from its former homeport of San Diego.

With the addition of the USS Green Bay to the LDH 6 Bonhomme Richard fleet the US Navy is more ready, and more deadly than ever before in the Pacific.

Submarine Group 7 will advance the interests of the United States and the security and prosperity of the region by effectively employing forward deployed, combat capable forces across the full spectrum of undersea warfare. We will endeavor to prevent conflict but remain prepared to win decisively.

Armed with sonar, playing war-games, another Naval exercise whose exact locations will forever be undisclosed correlates with a mass stranding.

Volunteers and children worked to re-float the whales with little success.

“Although the exact cause of dolphin stranding is not yet known, scientists had earlier suggested that low- and mid-frequency sonar used by military ships might be interfering with the mammals’ echo-location system, disorienting them and hindering their ability to navigate”.