230 whales end up on a Tasmanian beach

A Tasmanian beach became the host for 230 whales. The remote beach is on the west coast of Tasmania, Australia. Half of the whales in the pod are pilot whales. Many of them seem to be alive. Rescuers will arrive at the scene soon.

No one knows why the whales ended up like this. The beach is also known as an entrance to Macquarie Harbour. It is also the same place where a similar stranding occurred two years ago. The stranding two years ago was one of the worst witnessed in Australia.

Northern Tasmania also saw a stranding of whales. It happened yesterday. 14 sperm whales ended up dead on King Island in the Bass Strait. It seems that Australian beaches regularly deal with these situations. The Tasmanian beach also has experience in this matter.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment also issued a statement. They said that experts are working to rescue the whales. A rescue is being planned. But since the location is remote, It is difficult to get there. But the sad part is that most whales won’t survive the night.

Some marine conservation experts are also surveying the scene. They said that they would try to refloat the whales. The ones that are still healthy and strong can survive. The environment department of the state is also assessing the situation.

Pilot whales are social mammals. They always travel in groups. They also rely on a constant source of communication between their group members. It is also the reason why they always strand in groups. Many whales have died because of stranding.

Vanessa Pirotta is a Wildlife scientist. She tries to find the reason for this unusual occurrence. The leader can be sick, or the whales get into shallow waters. Climate change can also be a major cause. The change in temperature and environment can also lead to these behaviors.

Credits: BBC