Aerial footage shows a desolate scene: hundreds of pilot dolphins washed up on a beach on the west coast of Tasmania in Australia.
"A pod of around 230 cetaceans have washed ashore near Macquarie Harbour," the Tasmanian state Department of Natural Resources and Environment confirmed.
NRE Tasmania/Handout via REUTERS
Authorities said marine conservation experts and a team with rescue equipment for the pilot whales were on their way to the area.
"It appears that about half of the animals are alive," the ministry added.
For the time being, it is obviously very difficult to know the cause of this collective failure.
Scientists have suggested that groups of cetaceans get lost after feeding too close to shore.
Dolphins are very social animals, and they can follow straying pod members and find themselves in danger.
AFP/Tasmania Police
Almost two years ago to the day, nearly 500 dolphins were also stranded in this area of Tasmania.
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