Two hundred whales died on the Australian island of Tasmania
About 200 of the 230 whales stranded on the west coast of the Australian island state of Tasmania have died, according to rescue workers, international media reported.
Australia’s state wildlife service said only 35 of the stranded beached whales are now alive, but battling the harsh environment and keeping them live will be a challenging task.
Shiny black mammals litter the beach, stuck in the sand at the ocean’s waterline. Meanwhile, the locals have also come forward to save the marine animals. Some are wrapping blankets around the whale’s body, and others are trying to save it by keeping it in contact with water in a basket.
Brendan Clarke, Operations Manager of Australia’s state wildlife, said, “We have found about 35 live whales on the beach, and our primary focus this morning is to rescue and release these animals.” “However, unfortunately, many whales have already died,” he added.
About 500 pilot whales were stranded near Macquarie Harbour two years ago. It is the largest stranding of whales in Australian history. More than 300 whales died in that incident, thwarting all efforts of rescuers.
Environmental scientists call this phenomenon very unusual. Olaf Meinecke, Marine Scientist at Griffith University, said,
“Ocean waters are getting warmer, making the ocean a less hospitable place for whales or other marine life. Food is scarce. Not getting enough food in the sea, marine animals are coming ashore.”
