19.02.2025 10:55
In the state of Tasmania, Australia, 157 endangered false killer whales have stranded. Rescue teams reported that euthanasia would be performed due to the failure of their attempts to refloat 90 surviving whales.
Scary images have come from the Tasmanian coast of Australia. Australian authorities reported that a large number of false killer whales have stranded, and rescue teams are still working to save those that are still alive.
157 FALSE KILLER WHALES STRANDED
The Tasmanian Department of Natural Resources and Environment announced that 157 false killer whales stranded on Wednesday morning in the remote northwest of the state. According to initial assessments by officials, it was determined that 90 of the whales were still alive, prompting the state's Parks and Wildlife Services and Marine Conservation Program staff, along with wildlife veterinarians, to reach the shore and begin working on a response plan. The statement also noted that euthanasia would be applied due to the failure of flotation attempts for the survivors.
THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE
Whales have previously stranded en masse in Tasmania. In September 2020, more than 450 pilot whales became stranded on sand dunes and beaches about 140 kilometers south of where the current incident occurred at Macquarie Harbor. Two years later, another 230 pilot whales stranded in the same location.
False killer whales are known as a species of oceanic dolphin that resembles killer whales. They can grow up to 6.1 meters long and weigh between 500 kg and 3 tons.
Source: Xinhua, DHA