UPDATE: Four pilot whales from yesterday's mass stranding have made it out safely to deeper waters, and spotter planes have not found any other animals in distress in the area, according to local reports. Autopsies conducted on the dead pilot whales have ruled out disease, and wildlife officials now think it's likely that the animals had become disoriented, causing them to strand.
Dozens of volunteers and wildlife officials in the port city of Bunbury in Western Australia have been racing against the clock to save a pod of long-finned pilot whales that became stranded early on Monday.
Officials from the Department of Parks and Wildlife, Western Australia arrived on scene after more than 20 of the animals stranded themselves against a breakwater wall and on a nearby beach. Several of the pilot whales injured themselves on the rocky breakwater.
Despite the rescue efforts, 12 pilot whales (including three calves) have since been confirmed dead, while six others were earlier herded out to sea by small boats.
“...[E]fforts have focused on the rescue of four remaining whales that were stranded in the shallows, and they were pulled out to sea using a sling and boats,” said the department's nature conservation leader Kim Williams earlier in the day.
"Unfortunately one of these whales has re-stranded and is being taken out to deeper water again, while the other three are not swimming strongly and there is a chance they will also re-strand," he added.
There was hope that the rescued animals would join another pod of 15 long-finned pilot whales that had been spotted swimming in the area.
Mass strandings of pilot whales and other marine mammals are common in both Australia and New Zealand, although the exact reasons are not well understood.
Top header image: Hélène Surmont, Flickr
Whales and Dolphins
Whales and Dolphins
WTF!?
