Dozens of whales die after mass stranding in Western Australia

Marine wildlife experts teamed up with locals to try and #rescue roughly 140 pilot #whales stuck in the shallow waters of an estuary in the southwest of the state of Western #Australia. At least 30 of the beached whales have died after being stranded at the Toby Inlet estuary in Geographe Bay where more than 100 volunteers were at the scene to help rescue efforts, according to whale conservation group Geographe Marine Research. One local resident said people were visibly upset, pointing behind him to a beached calf as people were lined up in rows heaving the large sea mammals onto land. Pilot whales are known for their tight-knit social bonds, so when one gets into difficulty and strands, the rest often follow, according to the University of Western Australia. In July last year, more than 50 pilot whales died after stranding on a remote Western Australia beach.