The biggest whale mass stranding in 10 years in Tasmania

Catastrophic events, the biggest mass stranding in 10 years in Tasmania. 90 pilot whales already dead and 155 more to save. Tasmania’s west coast is facing one of their hardest whale rescues in a long time.

Not only are the local fisherman getting involved but also volunteers, a team of 60. The whole situation is a very difficult task for the volunteers to face as the whales are so big also because they are in a race against time.

The weather conditions are proving very hard to work in, the temperatures are very low, with heavy rain fall. The situation is very tragic as they are unsure how many more whales they can save as it is the biggest whale mass stranding in 10 years in Tasmania. Although this is hard for the rescuers, these temperatures are keeping the whales alive a little bit longer as the conditions are keeping them cool and wet.

The main cause of beached whales dying is due to dehydration. The animals can overheat quickly if they are near to the surface due to their very thick layer of blubber that helps them survive in deep-sea conditions. Whales can also crush themselves to death with their own weight, as they usually feel a lot lighter in the deep-sea. Whales can also get stranded in deep water and drown, due to their blowholes getting covered.

The 90 whales that have died are making the rescuers try and speed up even more as they don’t want to lose any more. The volunteers have already saved 25 beached whales, reaching them by boat, and have to save 155 more. With getting to them by boat it means that only a few whales can be freed at one time. The rescuers, working in teams also have to be as safe as they can and need to avoid getting hypothermia by being in the water too long.

The 270 whales that were stranded are thought to have possibly gone off track by feeding too close to the shore or following other strayed whales. The volunteers are fighting against unusual tides. The biggest whale mass stranding in 10 years in Tasmania and the volunteers are trying their very best to succeed.

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