We have only a couple weeks left in the typical whale watching season in Puerto Peñasco. This year’s has been glorious., joyous, and downright exciting. People in tour boats are spotting whales daily on the Sea of Cortez. We even watched them spouting from my balcony at the Sonoran Sun Resort. This timing adds to the impact of the news of many beached false killer whales in Tasmania.
Seeing a beached whale is a sad sight indeed. There is something unique about a massive creature laying so helplessly in shallow water or on the beach. It makes a human feel tiny and likewise helpless because you wish you could just push the stranded whale back into the sea. However, it’s not that simple.
Unfortunately, in Tasmania, that type of sadness is multiplied 100 times over.
Tasmania Whales Tragedy
This week, 157 beached false killer whales appeared on the Australian island state of Tasmania. The discovery was made Tuesday afternoon on a remote beach on the northwest coast of the island.
157 whales in total. None are expected to survive. Naturally challenging whale rescue efforts have been worsened by windy conditions. Efforts to relocate or refloat the whales cannot get past the breaking waves.
As of Wednesday afternoon there, less than 100 of them were still alive. Those remaining beached false killer whales are expected to be euthanized by marine biologists working against the clock. It is always the last resort in hoping to be humane.
What are False Killer Whales?
False killer whales look like killer whales, especially in the skull area. However, they are smaller in size. An even more surprising truth is these animals are not even whales.
Instead, false killer whales are among the biggest members of the dolphin family. Only the orca and 2 species of pilot whales are larger. At their peak, false killer whales can reach 20-feet long and weigh as much as 5,000 pounds. They get that big by eating fish and squid in deep ocean waters.
However, false killer whales are also known to eat other dolphins after bonding and traveling in pods with them. Talk about a family feud.
Massive Whale Mystery
It has been more than 50 years since a mass beached false killer whales event in Tasmania. There is a variety of reasons why whales beaching can occur. Sometimes it is illness or injury. Other beachings can be caused by old age. Some whales get stranded on beaches because of feeding too close to shore or bad weather conditions.
157 whales getting stranded before creates a massive mystery and tragedy. I still remember the handful of whale rescue efforts over the past 5 years in Puerto Penasco. Therefore, I can’t imagine the shocking discovery they’re dealing with in Tasmania.
