More than 130 whales die in mass stranding in Western Australia
One hundred and thirty-five whales have died after being washed ashore in Western Australia. A rescue operation began on Friday morning in Hamelin Bay, on the state’s south-western tip, to save the remaining 15, with volunteers and vets trying to keep the surviving short-finned pilot whales alive before deciding when to herd them out to sea. One witness described trying to steer one of the animals out to sea, only to watch it beach itself again. Jeremy Chick, who is controlling the rescue attempt near the town of Augusta, said the main priorities were to ensure the welfare of the remaining live whales and the safety of everyone involved in the operation before any rescue attempt was made to herd the whales back out to sea.