At least 14 juvenile sperm whales have washed up dead on the beaches of an island off the southeast coast of Australia.
Some sperm whale carcasses lying on the rocky beach of King Island. (Photo: NRE Tas)
The Tasmania Department of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE Tas) reported that the remains of these giant creatures were discovered on the afternoon of September 19 on King Island, part of Tasmania in Bass Strait. The cause of their deaths has not yet been determined.
Experts arrived on the island on September 20 to conduct necropsies. They also planned to carry out an aerial survey to check if there were any other dead whales in the area.
“It is possible that these sperm whales are members of the same pod, including young males that have come together after separating from their mothers,” stated a spokesperson for NRE Tas.
The waters off King Island fall within the range and habitat of sperm whales, so their presence in this area is normal, but such a mass death of young males is rare.
Authorities have warned surfers and beachgoers to stay away from areas with dead whales due to concerns that their carcasses could attract sharks to the nearby waters.
Two years ago, approximately 470 long-finned pilot whales were also found along the Tasmanian coast in the largest mass stranding in Australian history. After a week-long rescue effort, only 111 of those whales were saved.
