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A desolate sight.
Around 230 pilot whales were stranded off the coast of the Australian island of Tasmania on Wednesday morning.
Marine biologists and rescuers desperately try to save the whales, but only a few survive
With heavy equipment and boats, the emergency services on site have to transport the whales, which weigh several tons, several hundred meters into the sea so that they do not wash up again.
Brendon Clark, reviewer
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About 35 stranded animals are still alive.
Our focus is primarily on rescuing these animals and releasing them into the sea.
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Conditions are far from ideal at Ocean Beach in secluded Macquarie Bay.
The whales are highly exposed to air, so they dry out quickly, leading to a higher mortality rate, Clark explains.
The Australian broadcaster ABC spoke of a "race against time".
Kris Carylon, Chief of Operations
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I think it's inevitable that we're going to lose a few more.
These animals have now been stranded for over 24 hours.
You are in a really exposed, stressful situation.
They're pretty much on dry land, they're no longer surrounded by cool water.
The conditions for the animals have become much more difficult.
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The exact reason for the accident is still unclear.
But there is a possible explanation for the high number of stranded animals: The sea giants are known to form close bonds with each other.
Kris Carylon, Chief of Operations
“You are very stressed. They are highly social and communicate with each other. They are now very far from their natural environment and that is always challenging.
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Hundreds of whales were stranded in the same region two years ago.
At that time, 470 pilot whales got lost in a secluded bay.
Despite an extensive rescue operation, only 111 animals survived.
