25-4-2024 (SYDNEY) Marine wildlife experts are engaged in a frantic race against time to rescue approximately 140 pilot whales stranded in the shallow waters of Toby Inlet, an estuary located in Geographe Bay, southwest of Western Australia. The Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions confirmed the stranding and noted that the area is near the popular tourist town of Dunsborough, about 236 km south of the state capital, Perth.
According to a spokesperson from the department, there are four pods of pilot whales spread across a distance of about 500 meters. Tragically, 26 of the stranded whales have already lost their lives. In response, a team comprising wildlife officers, marine scientists, and veterinarians is either present at the site or en route to assist in the rescue efforts.
Given previous strandings, the department spokesperson expressed that euthanizing the beached animals is often the most humane course of action. The situation is challenging, and the team is working diligently to minimize the suffering of the stranded whales.
Photos posted on Facebook by the state’s Parks and Wildlife agency depict a crowd of people gathered near the beached whales. Over 100 volunteers, as reported by Ian Wiese from the whale conservation group Geographe Marine Research, are on-site, endeavoring to provide comfort to the stranded whales and ensure that their heads remain above the water so they can breathe.
This is not the first time Western Australia has faced such a distressing situation. In July of last year, over 50 pilot whales died after becoming stranded on a remote beach. The largest whale stranding in the region occurred in 1996 at Dunsborough, where 320 pilot whales beached themselves.
