Marine conservation experts are being deployed to Tasmania’s West Coast where a large pod of whales has reportedly been stranded.
The animals, which are thought to be pilot whales, are believed to be stranded on a sandbar inside Macquarie Heads.
Department of Primary Industry, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE) staff and Tasmania Police are on site and managing the incident.
Guy Grining from World Heritage Cruises flew over the whales in a helicopter and said it appeared some of the animals have already died.
« Yeah, it’s a pretty sad sight, really. There’s probably 25 whales on Ocean Beach just outside the entrance and I reckon there’s probably a further 250 inside the harbour that are stuck on various sandy shoals. »
DPIPWE said if the experts determine that there is a need for help from the general public, « a request will be made through various avenues ».
According to DPIPWE’s Marine Conservation Program, Tasmania is the only Australian state where mass strandings of whales and dolphins regularly occur.
This can be for a range of reasons including misadventure, disorientation caused by complex or shallow waterways or rough seas, or a flight response from a perceived threat.
Long-finned pilot whales are one of the species most frequently involved in mass strandings in Tasmania.
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AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)
SOURCE: https://www.w24news.com
