ENVIRONMENT officers are working frantically to save 25 false killer whales still alive after 80 of the mammals beached themselves near Margaret River. The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) has confirmed 80 false killer whales and some bottlenose dolphins are stranded at Hamelin Bay, near Margaret River, 323km south of Perth. A spokeswomen said only 25 whales were still alive.

The whales were found at about 7am close to the Hamelin Bay Caravan Park and are spread over five kilometres of beach. Staff working at the Hamelin Bay Caravan Park said those whales still alive were not looking well. “There is one (whale) still alive just out from the Bay here but he is not looking well, he is on his side with his fin in the air,” park receptionist Narelle Haddon said.

“The dead whales are fairly scratched up because they washed in over rocks," she said. DEC Incident Controller Greg Mair said the veterinary assistance had been organised to assess the health and well-being of the alive whales and equipment provided by Sea Search and Rescue was the on the way to assist efforts to return the whales back to deeper water.

“Our main priority is to ensure the welfare of the remaining alive whales before we herd them back out sea,” he said. “When we will be assisting them back to sea depends on ocean conditions and the strength of the animals, at present ocean conditions are quite dangerous with rough seas and large waves.” Ms Haddon said the scene was very sad to watch.

“It is terrible, really sad. Some of the women that were out there working this morning were in tears,” she said. Whale watching company West Whales are currently helping DEC officers with the rescue effort.

Mr Mair said that at present there were a large number of community members wishing to assist rescue efforts at the strandings site and if people were considering coming down to help they should contact DEC Busselton office on 9752 5555. False killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) are medium-sized with long, slender bodies and narrow, tapered heads with rounded snouts.

They are one of the largest members of the dolphin family. Males reach an average length of 5.4m and females are a slightly smaller 4.6m. The whales are found world-wide in all tropical and temperate seas and are often found in herds of more than 100 individuals of both sexes and all ages. It is not uncommon for the species to strand themselves.

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,25227737-948,00.html