On the west coast of Tazhou ,270 pilot whales ran aground and were stranded on the Gulf sandbar. Marine protection experts are conducting large-scale rescue operations. A third of whales are expected to death.
Representatives of the state's marine conservation program said Tuesday morning that the rescue will take a few days and that they will focus on whales they believe can be saved.
"Classifying is important here ," said Kris Carlyon wildlife biologist. We will deal with those whales that have the best chance of survival, and some whales are too big for us. "
Carlyon said the group assessed that about a third of whales death. Monday night
Nic Deka, head of the northwestern region of tazhou park and wildlife administration, said the next few days would be "the search for the best way to move whales ".
"We will try to release some whales to sea this morning. "Deka said.
It is reported that stranded whales are considered pilot whales, the species can grow up to seven meters long and weigh up to three tons. About 200 whales are trapped on Macquarie Heads sandbanks. Another 30 stranded hundreds of meters away on sandbanks and 30 stranded in Ocean Beach.
Carlyon said it was difficult to assess the whole situation because the distribution of whales stranded was too large. The public has been urged to avoid the area.
Dr. Vanessa Pirotta said she had spoken to volunteers who described the depressing scene as "like a whale cemetery ". "They can hear the sound of whales, which most likely refers to their breathing and communication. "
Dr. Pirotta said the number and status of whales will be better understood in the coming days as more volunteers arrive.
The main concern, she said, was the whales, which had returned to the sea and ran aground again. "Whales are highly social animals, and if you take a whale out of a large group, they may wander around or run aground again. "
Hundreds of whales have not been stranded in the region for the first time, Deka said similar incidents occurred about 20 years ago. According to DPIPWE, the state is the only state in Australia where whales and dolphins run aground regularly. For a variety of reasons, this may be due to the complexity of the waterway, the loss of access due to shallow water or poor sea conditions, or the feeling of threat escape.
A longfin pilot whale (Long-finned pilot whale) is one of the most frequent mass strandings in Tazhou.
