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Animal expert: “It’s a desperate situation”
Of: Johanna Emnéus Ekström
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Up to 500 humpback whales have been stranded on the shore of a beach in northwest Tasmania.
More than half of the whales have died and a major rescue operation is underway to save as many animals as possible.
– It’s a battle against time, says Tom Arnbom, veterinary expert at the World Wide Fund for Nature.
It was on Monday that 270 beached humpback whales were discovered in Macquarie Heads, on Tasmania’s west coast. By the end of this week, hundreds of more whales were found within a few kilometers.
An extensive rescue operation has since been carried out, but this is expected to take several days, as humpback whales can weigh around three tons and are therefore difficult to move. So far, 70 whales have been rescued from the shore of the beach, but according to animal expert Tom Arnbom, the situation is completely desperate.
– They have been lying on the beach for several days and are overheated, they are breaking inside. So even if you manage to get the whales out, they can die when they go further out to sea, says Tom Arnbom.
Strong family ties create dilemmas
It is not clear why humpback whales swim lost in this way. One explanation is believed to be that the animals followed a change and then became confused because their navigation system via sound waves does not fully work in shallow water.
Additionally, humpback whales are social animals, which Tom Arnbom says also creates problems. They usually follow a leader who often wants to meet with people who are sick or in need. This means that the illness or confusion of one animal can cause the death of many.
– These whales are unique in the animal world since their sons and daughters stay with their mothers for life. So they are incredibly strong family ties and if someone gets sick you don’t let them, which is their dilemma right now.
Common with beached whales
Whales stranded off the west coast of Tasmania are not uncommon. But this is the first time in ten years that more than 50 whales have been stranded at the same time.
So far, at most 320 whales have gathered at the same time in the area, making this the largest whale stranding in Australia.
Despite the dire situation, Tom Arnbom believes that the massive death of humpback whales will have no long-term consequences for the survival of the species. In addition to the humpback whales in Australia, there are large numbers in the rest of the world.
According to him, the great pain is that the hard work of the rescuers is probably in vain.
– I see this hopelessness in those who try to help the whales. They do what they can, but then they will feel like they have failed, says Tom Arnbom.
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