• Nearly 100 pilot whales stranded on a beach in Western Australia, half died despite rescue efforts.
• Whales initially spotted near Cheynes Beach, gradually moved closer to the shore.
• 51 whales died overnight, 46 still alive, team focuses on guiding them back to deeper water.

Nearly 100 pilot whales became stranded on a beach in western Australia on Tuesday, and approximately half of them had died by Wednesday morning, despite the dedicated efforts of wildlife experts and volunteers to rescue them.

The group of long-finned pilot whales was initially spotted swimming near Cheynes Beach, east of Albany, on Tuesday morning. Throughout the day, the whales gradually moved closer to the beach, raising concerns among conservation officers.

By 4 p.m., a significant portion of the shoreline was filled with beached whales. To monitor the situation, the Western Australia state’s Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions established an overnight camp.

Peter Hartley, a manager from the department, reported that 51 of the stranded whales had died overnight. Currently, there are 46 whales still alive, and the focus of the team is to guide them back into deeper water to encourage their return to the ocean.

The rescue effort involves Perth Zoo veterinarians and marine fauna experts, who are utilizing specialized equipment like vessels and slings to assist the whales.

The response has been overwhelming, with hundreds of volunteers offering to help. Officials have already received enough registered volunteers and are urging other members of the public to refrain from coming to the beach.

Wildlife experts speculate that the whales’ unusual behavior might be an indicator of stress or illness within the pod. As highly social animals, pilot whales typically maintain close relationships with their pods throughout their lives.

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