SYDNEY (AUSTRALIA) – In a bid to end one of the worst beaching events in the country, rescue workers are struggling to refloat hundreds of stranded whales off the west coast of Tasmania in Australia on Tuesday.
According to government scientists, 90 of the 270 stranded creatures have died in the shallow water.
Video footage reveals that the animals are stranded near a sandbar at Macquarie Harbour, which is 200 km (120 miles) northwest of the state capital Hobart.
“We’ve got animals that are semi-buoyant so it probably won’t take too much to refloat those animals closer to the deeper water, and will involve just a bit of grunt from specialised crew in the water,” said Kris Carlyon, a wildlife biologist.
The stranded pilot whales grow up to 7 metres (23 ft) long and can weigh up to 3 tonnes. To send them back to sea requires much effort as they have to be dragged using specialised tarpaulins and pontoons. Rescuers are trying to keep the whales upright.
The rescue efforts are undertaken by 40 government scientists, 20 policemen and local fish farmers and volunteers and it is the toughest they have undertaken so far.
The choppy waters, cold weathers and remote location are proving to be a challenge for the rescue workers.
“It’s pretty ugly out there for people on the ground, but as far as the whales go it’s ideal,” Carlyon said. “If the conditions stay the same they can survive quite a few days.”