Some 230 whales beached in Tasmania; rescue efforts underway

About 230 whales have been stranded on Tasmania’s west coast, just days after 14 sperm whales were found beached on an island off the southeastern coast.
The pod, which is stranded on Ocean Beach, appears to be pilot whales and at least half are presumed to still be alive, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania said Wednesday.
A team from the Marine Conservation Program was assembling whale rescue gear and heading to the area, the department said.
A resident told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. the whales were visible near the entrance to Macquarie Harbour and described the stranding as a “massive event.”
David Midson, general manager of the West Coast Council, urged people to stay clear.
The environment department said, “Whales are a protected species, even once deceased, and it is an offence to interfere with a carcass.”
Griffith University marine scientist Olaf Meynecke said it’s unusual for sperm whales to wash ashore. He said that warmer temperatures could also be changing the ocean currents and moving the whale’s traditional food sources.