system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: If sea mammals breathe air normally, why does getting stuck on land result in a swift death?

I saw a headline stating people kept a killer whale alive for 8 hours while it was stranded on land until tide came back and allowed it to go back to sea. If they breathe air, why would 8 hours on land require assistance keeping it alive?
gpt
Whales can weigh quite a lot. The blue whale, for example, can reach around 150 tons. This massive weight is supported only by the buoyancy of water. If they were to beach on land, their organs would be crushed underneath their own weight.