SUMMARY
More than 150 dolphins, also called false killer whales, have been found stranded on a remote beach near Arthur River in Australia’s island state of Tasmania. Take a look at the photos here
1 / 7Hundreds of false killer whales were found stranded on a remote beach near Arthur River in Tasmania, Australia, on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. False killer whales are migratory animals that roam the open ocean, and experts have no clear explanation for why they have stranded in this particular area after such a long absence. (AP Photo)
2 / 7Experts, including veterinarians, arrived at the scene on Wednesday near Arthur River on Tasmania’s north-western coast, where 157 whales were discovered on an exposed surf beach, according to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. (AP Photo)
3 / 7A female expert was seen inspecting a whale as efforts continued to refloat the stranded animals. According to an AP report, the sheer scale of the stranding has posed significant logistical challenges for rescue teams, who are racing against time to save as many dolphins as possible. (AP Photo)
4 / 7Approximately 157 dolphins, also known as false killer whales due to the similarity in their skull structure to true killer whales, were found stranded on the beach. With around 90 still alive as of Wednesday morning, experts have been working tirelessly to return them to deeper waters. (AP Photo)
5 / 7Rescue teams have been working to inspect and refloat the false killer whales back into the ocean since their discovery on Wednesday. False killer whales have been known to strand in large numbers on Australian beaches, but this is the first such incident in Tasmania in 50 years. (AP Photo)
6 / 7The last recorded mass stranding of this species in the state occurred in 1974 when more than 160 false killer whales were found beached near Stanley on the north-west coast. The reason behind these strandings remains unclear. (AP Photo)
7 / 7Department liaison officer Brendon Clark stated that this was the first recorded stranding of false killer whales in Tasmania since 1974 when a pod of more than 160 whales was stranded on a beach near Stanley on the north-west coast. (AP Photo)
