About 100 pilot whales stranded themselves at Cheynes Beach in Western Australia. Authorities reported that over 50 of these whales suffered fatalities on Wednesday morning. Volunteers who worked through the night in the chilly weather with experts from the state’s Parks and Wildlife Service kept an eye on the whales. They also informed that they are attempting to save dozens more pilot whales.
Nearly 100 Pilot Whales Stranded On Australia Beach
The Parks and Wildlife Service of Western Australia stated in a Facebook post that a sizable pod of long-finned pilot whales had been observed Tuesday morning close to the state’s southern coast. This was about 400 kilometres (250 miles) southeast of Perth, off Cheynes Beach near Albany.
Volunteers who worked through the night in the chilly weather with experts from the state’s Parks and Wildlife Service kept an eye on the whales.
Authorities stated on Wednesday that a rescue effort is underway to save dozens of people who are trapped in shallow water.
The agency reported that “unfortunately, 51 whales have died overnight after a mass stranding at Cheynes Beach,” and that hundreds of volunteers and professionals were working to save 46 other whales by returning them to deep water.
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Public Asked To Avoid Going To The Cheynes Beach
Social media videos show many of the whales flailing their tails in shallow water while others are lying sideways and others are on their backs. In another video, the whales are seen congregating and remaining motionless.
Wildlife officials issued a caution to the public to stay away from the beach in Australia.
The reason the pilot whales get stranded is still unknown, according to wildlife researcher Vanessa Pirotta. Nevertheless, she noticed that the pod had previously shown the unusual behaviour of huddling together.
Pilot whales and other toothed whales that utilize sonar for navigation are more likely to strand than their toothless counterparts, according to Pirotta. Additionally, pilot whale strandings occur frequently worldwide. (As per CNN)
We hope the authorities will be successful in saving the remaining whales.
Cover Image Courtesy:@parkandwildlifeservice/Twitter
First Published: July 26, 2023 2:36 PM