Why do sea creatures beach themselves?

Some animals also beach themselves purposefully as a hunting tactic. Killers whales, or orcas, frequently chase pinnipeds, like seals and sea lions, into the surf zone and onto shore, where the prey has to make a clumsy transition from swimming to walking in shallow, turbulent water. read more

Regarding cetaceans, after years of studying beached animals, we still don't know. We do know that the geography of some areas seems to confuse some animals. Whales and dolphins image their world with sound, so it could be like people seeing a mirage of water in a desert. read more

They were shooting them to euthanize them. You can try to get them back in the water, but imagine struggling to get the animal back in water in winter conditions, like at the Cape. They are very large animals but they are quite delicate. read more