Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Over 100 whales die in mass stranding in Australia

Only six whales have survived a mass stranding of pilot whales on the coast of Western Australia.

About 150 of the animals were found beached at Hamelin Bay, about 300km (180 miles) south of Perth.

Their discovery by a local fisherman on Friday prompted a major rescue effort to return them to deeper waters.

However, by nightfall, more than 140 of the whales had died, with deteriorating weather conditions and the threat of frenzied sharks impeding efforts.

More than 100 volunteers, wildlife personnel and others came to the aid of the beached pilot whales, a species known to strand en masse.

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"I've never seen anything like it, seen so many whales beached like this," one tourist told the Associated Press news agency.

"Unfortunately, most of the whales beached themselves on dry land overnight [on Thursday] and have not survived," Parks and Wildlife Service spokesperson Jeremy Chick said in a statement.

The rocky beach terrain, dead whales surrounding the survivors and rough seas were challenging factors in moving the surviving whales, officials said.

Mr Chick said there was a risk the surviving whales might come back into shore and re-strand.

"This has often been the case in previous mass strandings," he added.

'A mystery of nature'

Scientists do not know exactly what causes whales to beach themselves.

Image copyright Western Australia Government Image caption Most of the 150 animals stranded were dead by the end of the day

Experts have said stranding can occur when whales are sick or injured, or make navigational errors, particularly along gentle sloping beaches.

"It's one of the mysteries of nature," one of the rescue coordinators told the Sydney Morning Herald, adding that "once they come ashore like that they do deteriorate quite quickly."

Sometimes beached animals can send out distress signals that attract other whales to become stranded.

In 1996, about 320 whales became beached in Western Australia's largest stranding.</s>More than 130 pilot whales die in mass Australia beaching

Stranded whales on the beach at Hamelin Bay in this picture obtained from social media, March 23, 2018. — Reuters picPERTH, March 23 — At least 135 short-finned pilot whales died today after a mass beaching in Australia as rescuers worked to herd those still alive back out to sea.

The stranding of 150 whales at Hamelin Bay, some 315km south of Perth, was spotted by a commercial fisherman at daybreak, with fears the carcasses will attract sharks.

Western Australia state’s Parks and Wildlife Service said its staff were on site and assessing the health and well-being of the 15 still alive.

“Most of the whales beached themselves on dry land overnight and have not survived,” said incident controller Jeremy Chick who added they they were awaiting support and equipment to help in a rescue attempt.

“The strength of the animals and the windy and possibly wet weather conditions will affect when and where we attempt to move them out to sea.

“The main objectives are to ensure the safety of staff and volunteers as well as the whales’ greatest chance of survival.”

Hamelin beach, named after French explorer Jacques Felix Emmanuel Hamelin who sailed through the area in about 1801, was closed with a shark alert issued for the area.

Short-finned pilot whales inhabit tropical and subtropical waters and are often seen in the hundreds and when they beach, it is usually en masse.

The reason why mass strandings occur is still unknown.

There are many theories including the shape of the coastline being a contributing factor, whales responding to distress calls from other whales, or groups following a leader into shore.

The largest mass stranding in Australia’s west was at Dunsborough in 1996 when 320 long-finned pilot whales came ashore.</s>MELBOURNE: All but six of more than 150 short-finned pilot whales that stranded themselves on a beach in Western Australia have died, despite efforts from authorities and local beachgoers to save them, officials said on Saturday.

The marine mammals stranded themselves in Hamelin Bay, 315 km south of the state's capital, Perth, between Mar 22 and 23.

Authorities, veterinarians and locals who were visiting the beach attempted to save 15 of the migrating cetaceans in shallow waters, however only seven were able to successfully be placed back in the water.

A spokeswoman from Western Australia's Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions said one whale beached itself again and had to be euthanised. So far, the remaining six whales appear to have survived although incident controller Jeremy Chick said they could attempt to beach themselves at another location.



Pilot whales, which are part of the dolphin family, weigh between one and four tons each, providing a logistical challenge to local authorities, who are now working on disposing of the carcasses.

While whales regularly get stranded on the coastal strip migrating between Antarctic feeding grounds in the south and warmer northern waters where they raise their young, the large number this time is unusual.

There was a previously recorded mass stranding in 1996, when 320 long-finned pilot whales stranded themselves just north of Hamelin Bay and died.

Locals and tourists have been warned to stay out of the water due to a likely increase in sharks attracted by the dead whales. The beach has been temporarily closed while authorities dispose of the deceased whales.</s>Rescuers rushed to save beached pilot whales in Hamelin Bay, Western Australia. One hundred and thirty-five pilot whales died, with many more stranded.</s>PERTH, Australia — More than 140 short-finned pilot whales died after a mass stranding on a beach in Western Australia on Friday.

A group of around 150 whales became stranded at Hamelin Bay, around 300 kilometers south of the state’s capital city Perth.

Six surviving whales had been returned to the sea as of 7.00 p.m local time (7.00 a.m. ET), Western Australia’s Parks and Wildlife Service said.

“Unfortunately, most of the whales beached themselves on dry land overnight and have not survived,” Incident Controller Jeremy Chick said.

Chick said moving the whales by nightfall was logistically challenging because of the rocky beach terrain and rough seas.

“Once we have moved the whales out we will monitor the situation closely as it is possible the whales will come back into shore and re-strand. This has often been the case in previous mass strandings,” he said.

Authorities said more than 100 local volunteers arrived on site to assist trained vets and officers from Sea Search and Rescue and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

Melissa Lay, manager of the Hamelin Bay Holiday Park, told Reuters on Friday that it was the second mass stranding she had seen during her 15 years in the area.

“There are some that are still alive but barely,” Lay said. “The last time it happened, none survived.”

Short-finned pilot whales have a dark coloring with a pink underbelly and are known to inhabit tropical and subtropical waters. Authorities said it was not uncommon for migrating short-finned pilots to get stranded.

The largest mass stranding of whales in Western Austraila took place in 1996, when 320 long-finned pilot whales stranded themselves in the coastal town of Dunsborough.

The incident prompted authorities to issue a shark alert over concerns the carcasses could attract the predators to the shoreline.

It remains unclear why whales and other marine mammals get stranded, but experts say it can be a combination of factors, from old age, illness or injury to accidental navigation errors.

“The strong social bonding of some species of whales can cause mass strandings,” Project Jonah, a New Zealand-based whale charity, told CNN last year.

“One of the most common patterns with mass strandings is that one or two whales will initially strand. These animals will send out distress signals and members from their pod may attempt to help or mill slightly offshore. A receding tide will then catch these animals out and soon the whole pod will become stranded.”</s>Rescuers in Australia’s Hamelin Bay are struggling to save six short-finned pilot whales out of an estimated 150 who beached themselves on the rocky shore earlier today.



More than 100 volunteers descended upon the beach, which is located 185 miles (300 km) south of Perth along Australia’s southwest coast. The last time this happened at Hamelin Bay, some 15 years ago, none of the beached whales survived. Only six whales remain alive after this latest stranding, with over 140 short-finned pilot whales already confirmed dead, as reported by CNN.

The rescuers, some from Western Australia’s Parks and Wildlife Service, Sea Search and Rescue, and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), managed to return the six surviving whales to the sea around 7:00 am local time, but the conditions are not good; the beach is rocky and the seas are starting to churn.

Though the surviving whales are back in the water, officials will be monitoring the situation closely, as “it is possible the whales will come back into shore and re-strand,” Incident Controller Jeremy Chick told CNN. “This has often been the case in previous mass strandings.”

Making matters worse, the rescuers are now concerned about sharks.

“It is possible the dead and dying animals will act as an attractant, which could lead to sharks coming close into shore along this stretch of coast,” noted the DPIRD in a statement.

The short-finned pilot whale is the largest of the dolphin species, but it behaves more like large whales. Adults measure between 12 to 18 feet in length (3.7 to 5.5 meters), and can weigh anywhere from one to three tons. These animals, which prefer tropical and subtropical waters, are highly sociable and are rarely seen alone.

The reason for mass strandings is not known, but pilot whales are particularly vulnerable to this behavior. Echolocation, which they use to navigate, gets compromised in shallow waters. But it’s their exceptionally strong social bonds that may be the culprit. These whales will stick together, regardless of the perils. It’s possible that an old, sick, or injured whale got stranded, prompting its podmates to follow, or swim to their aid.

As bad as this stranding is, it’s not the biggest for Australia. Back in 1996, 320 long-finned pilot whales beached themselves in the coastal town of Dunsborough, though thankfully all but 20 survived.</s>The stranding of 150 whales at Hamelin Bay, some 315 kilometres (195 miles) south of Perth, was spotted by a commercial fisherman at daybreak, with fears the carcasses will attract sharks.

Western Australia state's Parks and Wildlife Service said its staff were on site and assessing the health and well-being of the 15 still alive.

"Most of the whales beached themselves on dry land overnight and have not survived," said incident controller Jeremy Chick who added they they were awaiting support and equipment to help in a rescue attempt.

"The strength of the animals and the windy and possibly wet weather conditions will affect when and where we attempt to move them out to sea.

"The main objectives are to ensure the safety of staff and volunteers as well as the whales' greatest chance of survival."

Hamelin beach, named after French explorer Jacques Felix Emmanuel Hamelin who sailed through the area in about 1801, was closed with a shark alert issued for the area.

Short-finned pilot whales inhabit tropical and subtropical waters and are often seen in the hundreds and when they beach, it is usually en masse.

The reason why mass strandings occur is still unknown.

There are many theories including the shape of the coastline being a contributing factor, whales responding to distress calls from other whales, or groups following a leader into shore.

The largest mass stranding in Australia's west was at Dunsborough in 1996 when 320 long-finned pilot whales came ashore. All but 20 survived.

Explore further: Nine whales die after Australia stranding</s>Only six whales have survived a mass stranding of short-finned pilot whales on the coast of Western Australia.

About 150 of the animals were found beached at Hamelin Bay, about 300km (180 miles) south of Perth.

Their discovery by a local fisherman on Friday prompted a major rescue effort to return them to deeper waters.

However, by nightfall, more than 140 of the whales had died, with deteriorating weather conditions and the threat of frenzied sharks impeding efforts.

More than 100 volunteers, wildlife personnel and others came to the aid of the beached short-finned pilot whales, a species known to strand en masse.

"I've never seen anything like it, seen so many whales beached like this," one tourist told the Associated Press news agency.

"Unfortunately, most of the whales beached themselves on dry land overnight [on Thursday] and have not survived," Parks and Wildlife Service spokesperson Jeremy Chick said in a statement.

Short-finned pilot whales usually measure up to 5m (16ft) and are found in tropical and sub-tropical waters, according to officials.
• Are whales attempting suicide when they beach themselves?
• Why a New Zealand beach strands so many whales

The rocky beach terrain, dead whales surrounding the survivors and rough seas were challenging factors in moving the surviving whales, officials said.

Mr Chick said there was a risk the surviving whales might come back into shore and re-strand.

"This has often been the case in previous mass strandings," he added.

Scientists do not know exactly what causes whales to beach themselves.

Experts have said stranding can occur when whales are sick or injured, or make navigational errors, particularly along gentle sloping beaches.

"It's one of the mysteries of nature," one of the rescue coordinators told the Sydney Morning Herald, adding that "once they come ashore like that they do deteriorate quite quickly."

Sometimes beached animals can send out distress signals that attract other whales to become stranded.

In 1996, about 320 long-finned whales became beached in Western Australia's largest stranding.</s>Short-finned pilot whales beached en masse in Hamelin Bay, Western Australia was spotted by a fisherman</s>At least five of the 150 short-finned pilot whales that were stranded on a beach in Western Australia were rescued by volunteers, the authorities said on Saturday. The Guardian reported that the whales were freed by authorities at Hamelin Bay, south of Perth, with the help of vets and more than 100 volunteers.

Reports said that the surviving whales have been moved to deeper waters. However, there was still a risk that they could return to dry land.

The Parks and Wildlife Service incident controller Jeremy Chick said that the whales often came back on to the shore after mass-stranding events. "We ask the public to keep a lookout and if anyone sees a stranded whale to please report it," he said.

Meanwhile, a sixth whale was freed into shallow waters overnight but it beached again and had to be euthanised.

On Saturday, the authorities continued to sweep the surrounding beaches by air and sea, the Guardian reported.

The authorities were taking DNA samples from those 145 carcasses that were being removed to understand why the whales beached.

On Friday morning, a fisherman spotted the latge number of whales. In 1996, the biggest mass beaching in Western Australia occurred in Dunsborough, when 320 long-finned pilot whales stranded themselves just north of Hamelin Bay and died.

The authorities have warned the locals and tourists to stay out of the water due to a likely increase in sharks attracted by the dead whales. The beach has been temporarily closed while authorities dispose of the deceased whales.
More than 140 pilot whales die in Hamelin Bay, Australia, after beaching themselves.