NewsOver 100 whales stranded in Western Australia, majority saved in massive rescue effort

Over 100 whales stranded in Western Australia, majority saved in massive rescue effort

Over a hundred whales were stranded on the shores of Western Australia. In a concerted rescue effort, officials, scientists, veterinarians, and residents hurried to the scene. Despite the involvement of hundreds of people, approximately 30 animals could not be saved.

Over a hundred whales stranded on a shoal in Western Australia.

Images source: © East News | HANDOUT

PJM

8:38 AM EDT, April 26, 2024

Four pods of whales found themselves in the shallow waters of Toby Inlet in Geographe Bay, Western Australia, last Thursday, as the British news television website Sky News reported. The crisis saw more than a hundred whales stranded, with about 30 of them unable to be saved.

A diverse team participated in the rescue operation, including wildlife officials, experts, scientists, and veterinarians. The stranded animals covered an area of about 1640 feet along the beach near the town of Dunsborough, situated in a popular tourist region.

"When I first arrived on the scene, I believe there were 160 whales. They were almost out of the water. There were also several hundred people there, trying to help the whales—keeping their heads above water so they could breathe. And then, after about an hour, those in the still-alive water left the shallow shore and swam out to sea," reported local whale researcher Ian Wiese, as quoted by the Associated Press.

Ships and a surveillance plane monitored the rescued whales to ensure they did not return to shore, said Pia Courtis, a regional wildlife official with the Parks and Wildlife Service in Western Australia. "So far, so good. They have not returned to shore, but we will continue to monitor them," she noted.

Survival rates for whales stranded on shore are low. "This story ended well," experts say, highlighting that such animals "can only survive about six hours on land before they begin to deteriorate," according to CNN. The deceased whales were removed from the water to prevent their corpses from attracting sharks. "Usually, with this kind of beaching, it ends with 100 (editor's note: dead) whales, and only five or six are saved," Wiese stated.