Stranded whales die amid rescue efforts

More than 60 whales are dead and 17 remain stranded after beaching themselves on Western Australia's southwest coast. More than 100 volunteers were desperately trying to keep the animals in a group because if they were sent into the ocean on their own, they could return to beach themselves after hearing the distress calls of other whales. Mass strandings of long-finned pilot whales on Australian coasts have occurred on average once a year since 1970. Earlier this month, on King Island, northwest of Tasmania, more than 140 pilot whales died after nearly 200 beached themselves on the coast. A DEC spokeswoman said what caused the animals to strand themselves was a mystery that would be investigated. Source Photo credit: Steve Mitchell, AP