More than 50 pilot whales have died on a beach in Western Australia after a mass stranding of pilot whales. In a race against time, emergency services tried to transport 46 living marine mammals back to the sea, as the local nature conservation authority “Parks and Wildlife Services” announced on Wednesday. The whales initially crowded together 100 meters off the coast for hours on Tuesday – extremely unusual behavior. Later, most of the herd began stranding on Cheynes Beach east of the town of Albany.
The authority asked onlookers not to approach the animals: “For safety reasons, the public is urged to stay away from the beach.” Many dangers lurked in the rescue attempts, “including large, distressed and possibly ill whales, sharks, swell, heavy machinery and ships”. There are already enough volunteers registered.
According to the Australian broadcaster ABC, 70 official forces and 50 helpers were involved in the action. “People are trying to make sure the animals stay wet,” said Jeremy Friend, spokesman for Parks and Wildlife. Veterinarians should first check their condition before attempting to release them into deeper waters. Male pilot whales can grow up to eight meters long and weigh up to three tons.
Bad weather and freezing water temperatures made the work difficult. The Australian ABC quoted marine researcher Vanessa Pirotta as saying that the whales that are still alive do not have much time. “The moment a pilot whale, or any type of whale, comes ashore, the clock starts ticking for its survival.” There is also a risk that whales will later become stranded again.
Fisheries Minister Reece Whitby traveled to the beach on Wednesday to assess the situation. “It’s a terrible thing, but also very touching to see the humanity with which people try to keep the whales afloat,” he said.
Why the animals had gathered so strangely around one another initially remained a mystery. Eyewitnesses speculated that killer whales – orcas – may have appeared in the region and the pilot whales formed up to defend themselves. Pilot whales – also known as pilot whales – form extremely close bonds with one another. At certain times of the year, they travel in large groups, increasing the risk of mass stranding.
Last year, 230 pilot whales were stranded on the Australian island of Tasmania. 200 of them died. In 2018, 100 ocean liners died after a mass stranding in Hamelin Bay, Western Australia.
Watch the video: There are shots that give hope: fin whales cavort in the water – as far as the eye can see. Zoologist and photographer Conor Ryan captured these images in 2022 off the South Orkney Islands in the South Pacific.
