Tireless efforts

“Great result”: 130 whales rescued in Australia

Pilot whales repeatedly become stranded - the animals cannot always be rescued despite tireless efforts (archive image from 2023).(Bild: AFP)

Of the pilot whales stranded off the coast of Australia, 130 out of 160 were rescued. Among other things, helpers held the heads of the whales lying in shallow water above water so that they could breathe. Eventually, most of the animals managed to get back into deeper water. 

"This is a great result," whale expert Vanessa Pirotta told the 7News channel on Friday. Employees of the Department of Conservation, veterinarians and hundreds of volunteers had spent hours trying to save the animals in distress.

Among the dead animals was a baby. Some helpers burst into tears at the sight of the dead whales.

"However, these 30 or so specimens will make a contribution to science," emphasized Pirotta. It is important to study the behavior of whales before a stranding in order to understand why entire herds swim towards the shore. "Because once they are on land, the clock starts ticking - and we don't know what happened before that."

Ministry of Conservation staff, vets and hundreds of volunteers had spent hours trying to rescue the animals in distress.(Bild: AP)

Pilot whales repeatedly become stranded - the animals cannot always be rescued despite tireless efforts (archive image from 2023).(Bild: AFP)

Concerns that animals could strand again
On Friday, there was a warning about sharks in the region around the small town of Dunsborough, 250 kilometers south of Perth. Predatory fish are often attracted to whale carcasses. There were also concerns that the rescued animals could turn back and strand again - a phenomenon that has been observed in the past.

Mass strandings of whales still puzzle researchers today. One theory is that sick or injured animals get lost and the others follow them.

This is because pilot whales in particular, which often travel in large groups, form extremely close bonds with each other. Experts also believe it is possible that whales lose their orientation due to acoustic pollution, such as sonar equipment from ships.