Mystery of 230 beached pilot whales
HUNDREDS of pilot whales lie stranded on a beach in a sight which has baffled scientists.
Around half of the 230 whales are thought to be still alive, but it is not understood how or why they ended up on the sand.
Locals in Tasmania have been covering the animals with wet blankets and pouring cold water over them before experts arrive. But rescue efforts will be difficult because of the remoteness of the location on a sandflat at the entrance to a natural harbour.
Pilot whales are known for mass strandings as they travel in large, close-knit communities. Two years ago nearly 500 whales were stranded in the same location, Macquarie Harbour on the Australian island’s west coast, with only 100 surviving.
Wildlife scientist Vanessa Pirotta said the similarity between the two incidents was ‘concerning’. The whales may have made a navigation error while moving from open water or been panicked into shallow water, she added, but said the reasons behind the stranding remained ‘a complete mystery’.
Tasmania’s environment department said marine conservation experts were being sent to the area, but added that more whales were expected to die overnight.