Rescue teams report that 210 whales died and only 35 remain alive following a mass stranding in Australia this week.
An exposed beach along the coast of Tasmania was discovered Wednesday with pilot whales stranded. Efforts are being made to save the remaining whales.
Brendon Clark of Tasmania’s Parks and Wildlife Service said, “we’re primarily focused on getting into the rescue operation and getting them released. As a precaution, we will monitor if some of them re-beach themselves.”
The number of living whales had been estimated at about half by rescuers previously.
This is the second mass stranding of whales to have occurred in Tasmania this week, following the discovery of over a dozen dead sperm whales on another beach, all young males.
Marine scientists have been baffled by whale strandings for decades.
There were more than 450 pilot whales found stranded in Tasmania in 2020, making it the state’s largest stranding.
For more on this story, please consider these sources:
- 200 whales dead, 35 remain alive after mass stranding in Australia CNN
- Rescue operation underway in Tasmania to save whales stranded on beach | USA TODAY USA TODAY
- Australian wildlife team rescues 32 beached pilot whales after nearly 200 die in mass stranding Fox News
- Rescuers In Race Against Time To Save Stranded Pilot Whales In Tasmania NBC News
- 230 whales were found stranded on a beach in Australia. Only 35 survived. CBS News