False killer whale stranding reported near Bremer Bay in southern WA with four believed to have died
West Australian wildlife authorities are on their way to the state's southern coast following reports that seven false killer whales have been stranded.
A spokesperson for Parks and Wildlife said it was believed they had stranded on House Beach, about 12 kilometres east of Bremer Bay and 540km south of Perth.
It is believed the whales became stranded on Monday afternoon.
The Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) confirmed four of the whales had died overnight, while three were still alive on the beach.
Bremer Bay is known for whale spotting.
(
ABC Great Southern: Andrew Chounding
)
Remaining whales to be euthanased
A spokesperson for the DBCA said staff were on the scene assessing the situation and would determine the most appropriate and humane course of action, likely to be euthanasia.
A shark warning has also been issued for the area.
False killer whales have been involved in recent mass strandings. In February, 157 whales became stranded on a beach near Arthur River
The southern coast is known for whale migration with many tourists flocking to the area to watch the ocean mammals.
Marine biologist Pia Markovic said false killer whale strandings were not as common as other whale species.
"We had a mass stranding in Tasmania of about 150. Most of those had to be euthanased," she said.
Marine biologist Piak Markovic says the whales may have followed a sick leader to the beach.
(
ABC News: Jon Kerr
)
Ms Markovic said the seven might be a sub-pod, as false killer whales often lived in groups in the hundreds.
"One of the leaders, usually a female as they're a matriarchal society, may have gotten a bit sick … because their social structures are so well bonded, the rest may have followed her," she said.
Ms Markovic said the species could grow up to 6 metres in length and weigh 1.5 tonnes.
"Their name comes from their skeleton or skull structure, which is similar to killer whales," she said.
ABC Great Southern — local news in your inbox
Get our local newsletter, delivered free each Thursday
Your information is being handled in accordance with the
Email address
Subscribe
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
Study reveals issues most impacting FIFO worker wellbeing
Wellbeing begins in the bedroom for fly-in, fly-out workers with a first-of-its-kind study revealing the design of private living quarters had the most impact on morale. The study, led by West Australian architectural sociologist Jack Tooley, surveyed workers from around the country in a bid to discover how FIFO camp design impacts worker productivity, morale, presenteeism and retention. Leading the list of gripes for FIFO workers was a lack of sound insulation in bedrooms, bed and mattress quality, room size and the quality of furnishings. A lack of cleanable surfaces, not enough laundry facilities, and the inability to personalise rooms was also impacting wellbeing. Architectural sociologist Jack Tooley is conducting a landmark study into how FIFO camps impact the workers' wellbeing. Credit: Supplied Shotbythom2025 Dr Tooley, who is the Monash University head of spatial design, said the results were 'totally understandable'. 'While gyms and other facilities are really important the study has shown by magnitudes that the best thing you can do for FIFO workers is give them comfortable, well-insulated bedrooms with a decent sized bed and a good quality mattress,' he said. 'If you're working 12 hours a day in extreme temperatures and conditions and using your body you don't just want but need a decent bed and a good nights sleep to be able to wake up the next day and perform. 'People just want rest, recuperation and to feel clean.' The impact of FIFO camp spatial design on workers' wellbeing. Credit: Jack Tooley The study revealed the design of FIFO camps reduced workers' morale by more than 15 per cent and decreased productivity by 12 per cent. Retention was also reduced by more than 11 per cent and presenteeism was down by 9 per cent as a result of bad camp design. Workers who didn't identify as white, heteronormative males reported that camp design had up to 15 per cent more impact on their wellbeing. Dr Tooley was now calling on FIFO workers to complete a second survey for the landmark study. He said the results of this would allow him to develop a first-of-its-kind return on investment calculator, which would allow companies to forecast the ROI from specific design upgrades. 'Mining companies could help so many people with just a few tweaks here and there,' Dr Tooley said. 'The ROI calculator would be available for use by mining companies who are refurbishing existing camps or building them. 'This has the potential to change FIFO workers' lives.' Some construction companies including Grounded Group were already engaging with the data to produce mining villages that improve staffs' wellbeing. FIFO workers can fill in the second survey at
Sky News AU
3 days ago
- Sky News AU
‘Proper midwinter stuff': Coldest days of the year so far arriving in Adeliade and Canberra, while Brisbane and Sydney to see chilliest mornings yet
Most Australian capitals will continue to feel the winter blast as temperatures plummet around the country in the days ahead, with Canberra and Adelaide set to experience their coldest conditions so far this year. Meanwhile, mornings in Brisbane and Sydney are forecast to be the chilliest they have been yet in 2025, with lows for Queensland expected to enter single digits. Winter has firmly set in on the east coast this week, with Sky News meteorologist Rob Sharpe explaining Wednesday was Sydney's coldest day of the year so far by a 'considerable margin' with the city seeing a maximum of just 14.1C. Sharpe said the chill in New South Wales' central east was due to southerly winds brining rain and cold air as it rolls through the area, and Sydneysiders are now facing their coldest mornings of 2025 so far as the week progresses. Sydney is set to see daily lows drop to single figures for most of the next seven days and the Bureau of Meteorology has forecast a chilly 6C for Friday morning. 'I'm not sure it's going to be quite that cold on Friday, but we will be feeling the chill and then we'll be having another cold belt, Monday, Tuesday, with daytime tops again back to just 16 degrees,' Sharpe said. Brisbane could drop to 9C on both Thursday and Friday mornings and Sharpe said the forecasted lows are 'easily the coldest we've seen so far this year' for Queensland's capital. Temperatures in Brisbane are looking more mild for Saturday through to Monday, but another cold dip could arrive as early as Wednesday next week. Canberra has been forecast to plummet to a freezing low of –4C on Thursday and Friday morning is also set to be below zero, reaching a low of –3C. Wet weather is looking set to roll into Adelaide from Thursday, with the city also likely to see its coldest 2025 day yet this weekend. 'With temperatures as low as 13C on Sunday, easily the coldest day of the year so far there as well. So, proper midwinter stuff coming through,' Sharpe said. Sharpe said Monday next week could be Canberra's coldest day of the year so far, with a high of just 9C and a low of 0C forecast. Windy and cold conditions are expected for Melbourne and Hobart over the next seven days and the Victorian capital could dip to just 4C on Thursday. It will be a different story in Perth and Darwin, however, with the West Australian capital largely avoiding the nail-biting temperatures sending a shiver down the east coast. 'The cold temperatures have really avoided the region and the showers that we've been seeing constantly, they're going to be gradually clearing. So, an improvement in the weather on the way there,' Sharpe said. Darwin appears set for balmy conditions over the next seven days, with Sharpe saying the northernmost capital 'seems immune' from the cold spell. Daily highs of 31 are expected in Darwin for the next week beginning Thursday, with the city projected to drop to a seven-day low of 20. Rain, strong winds, thunderstorms, and even hail and snow have been forecast in parts of the country's south-east by the BOM, as a strong cold front hits southern SA, NSW, Victoria, and Tasmania from Saturday afternoon into next week.
West Australian
3 days ago
- West Australian
Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness warns every Aussie a target as cyber crime becomes more sophisticated
The West Australian exclusive Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness warns every Aussie a target as cyber crime becomes more sophisticated
