‘Confronting, tough’ decision to euthanise 90 false killer whales stranded on Tasmanian beach
Attempts to rescue 90 surviving false killer whales stranded on a remote Tasmanian beach have failed, forcing authorities to make ‘tough, confronting’ choices.
Attempts to rescue 90 surviving false killer whales stranded on a remote Tasmanian beach have failed, forcing authorities to make the “tough, challenging” decision to euthanise them all.
Wildlife authorities on Wednesday reported 157 of the animals, a type of dolphin prone to stranding in large numbers, had on Tuesday beached near Arthur River, on the state’s wild West Coast.
An inaccessible site and difficult ocean conditions frustrated efforts to save the 90 survivors.
Two of the animals were transported to a different, less exposed site, for release, but even here conditions proved too much for the one-tonne dolphins, which continuously restranded.
“It was just too rough and the animals just couldn’t get past the break to get out,” said Parks and Wildlife incident controller Shelley Graham.
The animals were now being euthanised with firearms, using specialist ammunition and trained staff.
“We’ve given it a good crack, but unfortunately, we are running out of options,” said wildlife biologist and deputy incident controller Kris Carlyon.
“It’s a big decision - we’ve had considerable success refloating mass stranded whales and typically we do get some away. To be faced with a situation where we just don’t have any options to do that is hard...It’s a tough decision...confronting.
“But animal welfare is front of mind always and if euthanasia is the most appropriate option, we do have that ability.”
Local resident Jocelyn Flint earlier told local ABC Radio she was with the whales on Wednesday morning and no-one else was on the scene.
“I’m the only person here - most of them are all still alive,” Ms Flint said. “There are babies, there’s all sorts.
“It’s just absolutely horrific. They’re all struggling. They’re looking at me and I just can’t help them.
“There’s just families of them. Their eyes are open, they’re looking at me, like ‘help’. They need putting out of their misery.”
By the end of the day, 18 personnel were involved in the attempted rescue. Parks said options to dispose of the remains were being considered, with the presence of sensitive Indigenous cultural sites a factor that might prevent burial or removal with heavy machinery.
The Tasmanian government urged people to avoid the area, given a nearby active bushfire.
False killer whales are highly social and often seen performing antics, including “jumping” out of the water and doing flips.
Cetacean mass strandings are common in Tasmania, particularly the West Coast, although it is the first mass stranding of false killer whales on these shores since June 1974.
Little is known about the causes of such events, with factors ranging from topography confusing their eco-location navigation to miscalculations in the pursuit of prey.
Their social nature is often blamed for the scale of such events, with pods responding to, and reluctant to leave, individuals in distress.
Parks and Wildlife said post mortems would attempt to provide some answers about this stranding.
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