New volunteers will focus on freeing 20 pilot whales stranded on a sandbar on Tasmania's west coast before crews turn their attention to containing and disposing of the hundreds of dead animals throughout the harbour, as the mission enters a fifth day.
Exhausted rescuers and volunteers working to save pilot stranded whales will be relieved by fresh crews today on Tasmania's west coast.Rescuers will focus on freeing 20 more stranded pilot whales before collection and disposal beginsAuthorities say the 88 animals that have been successfully returned to sea are "thriving"
"I think everyone's tired and feeling the fatigue. They've been long days. The people on site working on the water are those doing it hardest," incident controller Nic Deka said.Approximately 380 of the original 470 pilot whales discovered beached on Monday and Wednesday have died and only about 20 more whales are deemed to have a good chance of survival.
There also remains a chance more whales will need to be euthanased by firearm, using custom ammunition. "If they've lost the older females with that built-up knowledge of the area then they may need to learn new behaviours," he said.
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