Over 100 stranded pilot whales return to sea in Western Australia rescue effort

On Thursday, more than 100 long-finned pilot whales stranded along the shores of Western Australia have made a successful return to the ocean. However, tragically, 29 whales did not survive the ordeal, wildlife officials revealed.

Recovery Efforts

Pia Courtis, a regional wildlife officer with the Parks and Wildlife Service for Western Australia, announced in a news conference shared on social media that efforts were underway to remove the 29 deceased whales from the beach. The agency also outlined plans to collect biological samples and measurements from the deceased whales for further research.

Marine officials and volunteers worked diligently to guide the remaining whales back out to sea. Boats and a spotter plane were deployed to monitor the area and prevent the whales from returning to shore.

Location and Spread

The 160 pilot whales, which were spread across about 1,640 feet of beach at the Toby Inlet near Dunsborough in Western Australia on Thursday morning, were organized into four pods, as confirmed by local wildlife officials in a statement on social media.