Australian rescuers save around 25 whales stranded on sandbar

Rescuers had set free at least 25 whales marooned on a sandbar off the remote west coast of the Australian island of Tasmania by late Tuesday, with hopes to refloat hundreds more within days and end one of the country's worst beaching events.

Rescuers from Australia's Parks and Wildlife Department said the rescue efforts involved more than 65 state park workers, fishermen and volunteers navigating through the icy waters and attaching the animals to slings and moving them out with boats.

Around 270 pilot whales have been stranded on a wide sandbar at Macquarie Harbour, about 200 kms northwest of the state capital, Hobart, since Monday.

Pilot whales are a species of oceanic dolphin that grow to 7 meters long and can weigh up to 3 tons. Drawing them back out to sea is a labor-intensive process that can include physically pushing the animals or using specialized tarpaulins and pontoons to drag them to deeper water. Rescuers try to keep the whales upright to avoid disorientation.

(Source: Reuters)

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