Rescuers save 25 stranded whales, 90 found dead
SYDNEY: Rescuers set free around 25 whales yesterday that were marooned on a sandbar off the remote west coast of Tasmania in one of Australia’s worst beaching events and hope to save more in coming days.
Scientists said about 90 of the 270-strong pod of pilot whales have died since they were spotted from the air in shallow water off the rugged coastline yesterday.
Marine biologist Kris Carlyon said “about a third” of the animals were dead by late yesterday and rescuing the survivors would be a “challenging” task, likely to take several days.
Nic Deka, manager of Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service, said marine specialists and rescuers were trying different ways to determine the best rescue methods.
“We’ll be trying to free some whales this morning and if we’re met with the methods we’ve settled on, we’ll keep doing that, if not, we’ll adapt it and do different things to try and get a better result,” Deka told reporters.
Images from the scene showed shallow water thick with scores of the large slick-black mammals manoeuvring for space.
Though mass whale being stranded occur relatively often in Tasmania, such a large group has not been seen in the area for more than a decade.
The animals are only accessible by boat, limiting the number of rescuers who can reach them.
About 60 people, including volunteers and local fish farm workers, are involved in the rescue attempt.
They are battling cold, wet conditions as well as the harbour’s unusual tides which are dictated by barometric pressure.
“In terms of mass whale being stranded in Tasmania, this is up there with the trickiest,” Carlyon told reporters in the nearby town of Strahan.
However, Carlyon said many of the partially submerged whales should be able to survive for the several days it would take his team to complete the task, in part due to the inclement weather.
“It’s pretty ugly for people on the ground but as far as the whales go it’s ideal, it’s keeping them wet, it’s keeping them cool,” he said.
Carlyon said rescuers would still have to “triage” the whales, prioritising the healthiest and most accessible.
Once the whales are returned to the water, Carlyon said, the biggest challenge will be herding the social creatures out of the sandbar-riddled harbour and back into the open ocean.
Scientists said it was unclear what caused the latest stranding but have suggested the pod may have gone off track after feeding close to the shoreline or by following one or two whales that strayed. – Agencies