At least 50 pilot whales have stranded on Cheynes beach east of Albany in Western Australia.
Almost twice that number of whales had been seen massing off the beach since Monday, according to the owner of Cheynes Beach Caravan Park, Allan Marsh.
“Probably about half an hour ago they beached themselves,” he said about 4pm local time on Tuesday. “They’re pretty alive still … they’re able to push a few out.”
WA Parks and Wildlife Service officers were on the beach. “They had everything prepared for a beaching, they’re just setting it up now,” Marsh said.
The wildlife service said on Tuesday evening a “pod of approximately 60-70 long-finned pilot whales have begun to strand on Cheynes beach”.
The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) was leading the response.
“We understand the public’s concern at this time and appreciate the offers of support from volunteers,” the wildlife service said. “However, the safety of the public and the whales are our main priority, so we ask that members of the public do not approach the beach.”
Late on Tuesday, the caravan park owners posted on Facebook that DBCA staff would camp overnight at the beach and set up a “safety zone” around the stranding area. The owners said the department would provide information on volunteering to help the whales on Wednesday.
Residents had earlier gathered on the beach to try to assist, Marsh said.
The wildlife service said the pod initially grouped approximately 150 metres off Cheynes beach.
More than 130 whales died in a mass stranding in Western Australia in early 2018 at Hamelin Bay south of Perth. The largest mass stranding of whales in WA happened in 1996 when 320 long-finned pilot whales stranded themselves in Dunsborough.
