About 230 whales have been stranded on the west coast of the Australian state of Tasmania. The pod appear to be pilot whales and at least half are presumed to still be alive, officials say.
This photo released by Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, shows whales stranded on Ocean Beach at Macquarie Harbour on the west coast of Tasmania of Australia, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022.
HOBART, Australia — About 230 whales have been stranded on Tasmania’s west coast, just days after 14 sperm whales were found beached on an island off the southeastern coast. The pod, which is stranded on Ocean Beach, appears to be pilot whales and at least half are presumed to still be alive, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania said Wednesday.
A team from the Marine Conservation Program was assembling whale rescue gear and heading to the area, the department said.the whales were visible near the entrance to Macquarie Harbour and described the stranding as a “massive event.”“Whales are a protected species, even once deceased, and it is an offence to interfere with a carcass,” the environment department said.
Griffith University marine scientist Olaf Meynecke said it’s unusual for sperm whales to wash ashore. He said that warmer temperatures could also be changing the ocean currents and moving the whale’s traditional food sources.“They will be going to different areas and searching for different food sources,” Meynecke said. “When they do this, they are not in the best physical condition because they might be starving so this can lead them to take more risks and maybe go closer to shore.