False killer whales stranded in Australia are expected to be euthanized after unsuccessful rescue mission
More than 150 false killer whales have washed up on the coast of the Australian island state of Tasmania, with none of them expected to survive, officials said Wednesday.
The 157 whales were found Tuesday afternoon on a remote beach near Arthur River on Tasmania's northwest coast. By Wednesday afternoon, only 90 appeared to still be alive, The Associated Press reported, citing the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania.
Officials said rescue efforts had been hindered by poor conditions and that similar weather was expected for at least the next two days.
'We have been out in the water this morning and have relocated and attempted to refloat two whales, but didn't have success as the ocean conditions weren't allowing the animals to get past the break,' Incident Controller Shelley Graham said in a department statement. 'The animals are continuously restranding.'The remaining live whales are expected to be euthanized.
'The longer these animals are out stranded, the longer they are suffering,' marine biologist and Deputy Incident Controller Kris Carlyon said in the statement. 'All alternative options have been unsuccessful, euthanizer is always a last resort.'
The animals resemble killer whales but are actually large members of the dolphin family. False killer whales can weigh up to 3,000 pounds and generally live in deep offshore waters in tropical and subtropical oceans, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.The reason for the beaching on Tuesday is unclear. They were the first false killer whales since 1974 to become stranded in Tasmania, where beachings typically involve pilot whales.
In 2022, about 200 of 230 pilot whales died after becoming stranded further down Tasmania's west coast in Macquarie Harbor.
Macquarie Harbor was also the site of the worst mass stranding in Australian history in 2020, when fewer than 100 pilot whales survived out of 470 that became stuck on sandbars.Beachings can occur for a variety of reasons including navigation errors, sickness, old age, injury, bad weather and hunting too close to shore.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New York Post
8 hours ago
- New York Post
US soldiers' remains found at historic Revolutionary War landmark are revealed to be from a completely different era
Archaeologists recently announced the discovery of skeletons at Colonial Williamsburg – but the skeletons weren't from the Revolutionary War. The remains were found while excavators searched around the grounds of a Revolutionary War-era gunpowder magazine, or storage facility, according to The Associated Press. Advertisement Near the building, archaeologists were taken aback when they uncovered the eye sockets of a human skull – and then four human skeletons, plus three amputated legs. Rather than dating back to colonial America, the four skeletons are from Civil War times. The soldiers died during the Battle of Williamsburg while fighting for the Confederacy in 1862, according to local historians. The skeletons were found with their arms crossed. Interestingly, they were not buried in their uniforms – rather, they were found in more comfortable clothes, and archaeologists uncovered buttons and a trouser buckle. 7 Archaeologists found human remains at Colonial Williamsburg, which surprisingly dated back to the Civil War rather than the Revolutionary War. AP Advertisement The graves were aligned east-west, with the head at the west end and the feet at the east end, a burial tradition commonly associated with Christianity. Since the discovery, historians have determined that a makeshift hospital once operated nearby to treat wounded Confederate soldiers. Although the remains were found in 2023, Colonial Williamsburg officials didn't announce the discovery until this month. 7 Staff members from the Colonial Williamsburg museum excavating the remains of Confederate soldiers from the Civil War in 2023. AP Advertisement 7 Archaeologist Jack Gary holds up a photo of a church that once stood beside the gunpowder magazine at Colonial Williamsburg in May. AP 7 Colonial Williamsburg Lab Assistant Evan Bell discusses using hospital lists, unit records and other documents to identify the remains of Civil War soldiers at the Colonial Williamsburg archaeology department in Williamsburg. AP Archaeologists are working to identify the soldiers — whose identities are unknown. 'Everyone deserves dignity in death. And being stored in a drawer inside a laboratory does not do that.' Advertisement Researchers have narrowed down the possible identities of four men who served in regiments from Alabama, Louisiana, South Carolina and Virginia, but are withholding the names until they have confirmation. Jack Gary, Colonial Williamsburg's executive director of archeology, told the Associated Press that the discovery came together when they found lists of hospital patients in the archives. 7 Gary points to a photo showing where the graves of Civil War soldiers were found near the gunpowder magazine at Colonial Williamsburg. AP 7 'If these men were found in a mass grave on a battlefield, and there was no other information, we probably wouldn't be trying to [identify them],' Gary said. AP 7 A historical marker for The Battle of Williamsburg from the Civil War in Williamsburg is seen here. AP 'It is the key,' Gary noted. 'If these men were found in a mass grave on a battlefield, and there was no other information, we probably wouldn't be trying to [identify them].' Last week, the bodies were reinterred at a local burial ground where other Confederate soldiers were buried. Advertisement 'Everyone deserves dignity in death. And being stored in a drawer inside a laboratory does not do that,' Gary said. Even though the Civil War has been thoroughly studied for over 160 years, new discoveries are still being made. Last spring, a Civil War-era cannonball was found in the backyard of a Virginia home. A few years earlier, a long-forgotten map that shed light on the aftermath of the bloody Battle of Antietam was uncovered.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Authorities scramble as truck crash releases millions of bees: 'Hive boxes from the overturned truck were recovered'
The internet was abuzz after a commercial truck overturned in Washington state near the Canadian border, releasing millions of bees into the surrounding area. As detailed by The Associated Press, a semitruck transporting around 70,000 pounds of honey bee hives rolled over in the early morning hours of Friday, May 30, near Lynden. The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office initially estimated that 250 million honeybees had escaped. With the help of beekeepers who responded to the scene, it later updated that number to 14 million while providing an update on Facebook. Authorities closed Weidkamp Road and advised the public to stay away from the area until the bees were contained and returned to their hives. The internet couldn't resist whipping out its best bee-related quips, with multiple commenters on a KOMO News report on YouTube calling the situation "un-BEE-lievable." "I hope they are beeing careful," another said of the responders, who reported getting stung. However, the crash — which appeared to happen when the driver failed to navigate a turn — also had more serious implications, as keepers often move bees to new areas to prevent them from depleting resources for other pollinators, per the AP. Pollinators are experiencing drastic population declines as a result of toxic chemical pesticides, habitat loss, and rising global temperatures, which supercharge extreme weather events that add additional stress. For instance, heavy rains can prevent bees from foraging, while droughts can mean less nectar is available to eat. A recent Honey Bee Health Coalition survey of commercial keepers in the United States found that they experienced an average loss of 62% between June 2024 and February of this year, potentially threatening to upend food security and damage nature's protective biodiversity. Pollinators such as honey bees support around 75% of flowering plant species and 35% of the world's food crops, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Do you worry about air pollution in your town? All the time Often Only sometimes Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Dozens of beekeepers helped Whatcom County officials quickly rescue most of the bees and get them back on the road to their intended destination. "Hive boxes from the overturned truck were recovered, restored and returned to use. By morning, most bees should have returned to their hives and those responsible for their delivery will be in charge," the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office wrote on Facebook the day after the incident before confirming the following day that recovery work was over. More broadly, you can support pollinators by converting part or all of your water-hungry turf into a natural lawn or rewilded space. Native plants don't just help slash the time and money you spend on lawn maintenance; they also provide resting spots for pollinators and require minimal to zero toxic treatments. And if you find pests are starting to overtake your yard, consider exploring chemical-free options first. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Residents erupt as entire Aussie suburb left smelling 'like a toilet' after major leak
Residents of an Australian suburb are complaining their local area "smells like a toilet" after a deluge of human waste began spreading through the area. Aerial images show thousands of litres of human excrement pooling in a sports field in Perth's south, which has slowly run down to the popular tourist area of Fremantle, prompting authorities to plead with the public to avoid recreational activities like fishing. The problem was caused by a burst sewer pipe in Beaconsfield four days ago. Dean Stacey, a spokesperson from the Water Corporation, explained the ongoing issue is "quite complex". The initial leak caused smaller and related overflows in neighbouring suburbs, which made their way into the Swan River, a major waterway. "The repair in Spearwood is quite complex, instead of being able to weld a band around that pipeline, we're having to prefabricate a new section of pipeline,' he said. While the leak has been stopped, authorities are now scrambling to custom-make new pipes to fix the spill. After the pipe burst on Friday, residents reported a foul smell wafting from the leafy Perth suburb, Nine News reported. "[I] went out to look and you could smell it," one resident said. Another said it "smells like a toilet." Water Corporation has warned residents that it's expected to take "some time" to make the repairs. 'Given the complexity of the wastewater network, there remains a risk of further localised overflows," it said. "As repairs progress, the public is asked to avoid affected areas. Warning signage, security, and barricades are in place for the community's protection." Water Corporation is working with the WA Department of Health, Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and Department of Biodiversity, Conservation to ensure public safety. 'In the event of contact with any residual wastewater, wash hands thoroughly with soap and clean water and disinfect any surfaces exposed to wastewater,' it said. If locals begin to feel unwell or experience symptoms such as headaches, fatigue and nausea, seek medical advice. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.