Nearly 100 pilot whales stranded themselves on a beach in western Australia on Tuesday, and about half had died by Wednesday morning, despite the efforts of wildlife experts and volunteers to save them.
The pod of long-finned pilot whales was first spotted swimming near Cheynes Beach east of Albany on Tuesday morning.
As the day progressed, the pod began moving closer to the beach, sparking the concern of conservation officers. By 4 pm, a large stretch of the shoreline was covered in beached whales.
Western Australia state’s Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions set up an overnight camp to monitor the whales.