SYDNEY, Feb 19 (NNN-AAP) – About 90 surviving false killer whales will be euthanised, after a pod of 157 became stranded on a beach in the Australian island state of Tasmania.
Authorities today arrived at the beach on Tasmania’s remote north-west coast, and confirmed that 90 of the false killer whales were still alive after they were discovered by a member of the public last night.
Wildlife veterinarians and staff from Tasmania’s Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS), and Marine Conservation Programme made several attempts to refloat two of the false killer whales today, but were unsuccessful.
PWS Incident Controller, Shelley Graham, told reporters this afternoon that, the animals were continually re-stranding and that conditions were forecast to be very similar for two days.
“Following expert wildlife veterinary assessments, we have made the decision to euthanise the animals,” she said.
Deputy Incident Controller, Kris Carlyon, said that, the animals would be euthanised by firearm.
He described the remote location as “possibly the trickiest” for a stranding during his 16 years in the role.
The PWS estimated that the animals had been stranded for 24-48 hours.
PWS liaison officer, Brendon Clark, said at a press conference in the state capital, Hobart, this morning that, it was the first recorded mass stranding of false killer whales in Tasmania since 1974, which involved about 160 animals.– NNN-AAP
