Australia: 380 “pilot dolphins” stranded in a gulf

Sad news in Australia. On Wednesday (September 23) the rescuers announced that at least 380 “pilot dolphins” were trapped and dead in the remote bay of Tasmania in the south of the country. This vast number, of all the 460 Cetaceans stranded on this vast west coast bay, is wild and sparsely populated.

“We have a more accurate figure and we can confirm that 380 Cetaceans are dead,” said Nick Deca, manager of the Tasmanian Nature Parks. “About thirty people are still alive. The good news is that we have already saved 50 people,” he said, describing the work of the rescuers as “very tiring” on a physical and emotional level.

The first group of about 270 pilot whales was discovered Monday, leading to an extensive rescue operation.
Most were trapped in a sandbar accessible only by boat. Another group of about 200 marine mammals was discovered during an aerial reconnaissance flight Wednesday morning.

The Greatest Cetacean Stranding

It is the largest Cetacean Stranding recorded in Tasmania and certainly the largest in the history of the country.
About 60 people, including environmentalists and staff from neighboring aquaculture farms, are taking part in the rescue operation for the stranded pilot whales on Monday.

The rescuers spent 50 days in shallow, cold water for a successful recovery.
They used cables attached to boats and then carried them out to sea. Henceforth, they continue their race against the clock to quickly save the thirty pilot whales that are still alive.

“They focus on their work, which is tiring work, some are in cold water up to chest level, so we try to keep the teams running,” Nick Deca said. The other 200 Cetaceans found on Wednesday were trapped 7 to 10 kilometers from the first group discovered on Monday.

Unknown causes

Authorities have expanded their search area to ensure no other mammals are trapped. According to the recommendations of whale behavior experts, some of the Cetaceans rescued on Tuesday were released overnight.

“The good news is that most of the rescued Cetaceans are still in deep water and swimming,” Nick Deca told a news conference in the nearby town of Strahan. The causes of this phenomenon are unknown even to scientists who have studied it for decades.

However, some researchers suggest that these pilot whales, which are more sociable, may have strayed from their path after feeding near shore or may have followed one or two false cetaceans. According to marine biologist Chris Carlione, who was hired by the Tasmanian government, this is a “natural phenomenon” that has occurred throughout the history of Australia’s southern history rather than New Zealand.

“Very stressful”

“We are intervening in a situation like this, but there is not much we can do to prevent it from happening again,” he said. Animal welfare issues are a major reason for officials and caretakers to interfere in these threads, he said.

These activities also improve knowledge of the species. However, biologists do not hide the fact that it is “very stressful” for living Cetaceans, but that experience shows that they are more likely to thrive once they return to the organ.

“We have made it very clear that animals can come together and re-create their social bonds, at least for a short time to a medium – to have normal and natural behaviors,” said Chris Carlian. Those responsible for the operations must now dispose of the carcasses of the pilot whales, and experts will be on site Wednesday to develop a cleanup plan.