Melbourne - A total of 150 short-fin pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) are stranded on the coast of Western Australia. Unfortunately, only 15 were successfully rescued and returned to the open seas alive, the rest dead.
Volunteers, veterinarians and wildlife officials flocked to Hamelin Bay on Friday morning Australian time to evacuate the marine mammals.
They encounter obstacles when they will move the animals to the water, the strong winds caused by tropical storms. Until 00:00 tonight, most of the whales have died.
"Unfortunately, most of the stranded whales do not survive," said one volunteer, Jeremy Chick, in a statement, as quoted by ABC Perth, Friday 23/3/2018
"Only 15 survivors have been successfully restored to their native habitat at sea today... Rescue efforts are hampered by worsening weather conditions and we need to ensure the safety of all those who helped with the evacuation path before removing the whales.
For the time being, authorities have closed Hamelin Bay. They also warned of sharks in the area of the water.
The shortfood pilot whales are often stranded en masse, according to WA Parks and Wildlife Service.
The most severe whale-stricken incident in Western Australia occurred in 1996, when 320 long-fin pilot whales (Globicephala melas) were found stranded in southwest Dunsborough, southwest of Western Australia.
A similar incident occurred at Farewell Spit, New Zealand, in February 2017, in which 416 long-fin pilot whales were stranded. This phenomenon is said to be the worst incident in the country's history.
Officers from WA Parks and Wildlife Service have taken DNA samples from dead whales in Hamelin Bay for clues to why the marine animals were stranded.
THANKS FOR UPVOTE, FOLLOW & RESTEEM