Cetacean stranding, also known as beaching, occurs when a whale will strand themselves on land (oftentimes a beach, hence the term “beaching”). However, beached whales often die due to collapsing under their own weight, dehydration, or drowning when the tide comes in and covers their blowhole. While there is no identified, definite reason as to why whales beach themselves, a possible reason is because a change in tides and melting icebergs (one of the effects of global warming) can result in whales having to relocate or even swim into shallower waters, eventually end up becoming beached (Whale Facts, 2012).