Dozens of dead pilot whales have washed up on a Tasmanian beach in a tragic mass stranding event.
Nature guide and photographer Chris Theobald, 34, discovered the 34 carcasses while traveling by boat to Bryans Beach on Wednesday morning.
“While out training on the boat I guide on we came across a confronting scene…” he wrote on Instagram.
“There was no time to save any.”
Theobald and his colleague Rob Pennicott were unable to save the pod, which included calves.
The two men were made aware of the horrific find by Pennicott’s son, who first noticed a singular whale carcass floating in the water.
“My son Noah sent me photos and reported it to Marine [and] Safety Tasmania because the first whale he saw was actually floating and was a hazard to shipping and boats,” Pennicott shared with ABC Radio Hobart.
“And then he saw on the beach the devastating [scene] of over 30 dead whales on the beach.
“And to me, it’s very sad. I love dolphins and whales and seals.”
Pilot whales are the second largest dolphin on the planet and can be distinguished by a round bulging forehead and a short beaklike snout.
Mr Theobald has proposed a reason for their stranding, writing on social media: “Strong social bonds may lead to a herd following a sick or disorientated pod member into trouble.”
“But his particular group died fairly quickly, suggesting they all could have been sick.”
“Relentless fishing, pollution and now seismic blasting in our oceans could all be contributors,” he wrote.
Pilot whales are highly social and remain in social groups, which can contain over 100 dolphins.
It is commonly believed dolphin pods are navigated by a single leader, a “pilot” (hence the name pilot whale), which is thought to contribute to the number of mass strandings.
Earlier this year nearly 100 pilot whales died after beaching in Western Australia.
A government spokesperson confirmed officials of Department of Natural Resources and Environment’s Marine Conservation Program are aware of the pilot whale deaths and have attended the site.
“Staff, including a wildlife veterinarian, are on site today to assess the situation and sample and measure the carcasses,” the spokesperson said.
“It is not known why the whales stranded and is often not possible to determine.”
“Pilot whale strandings are not uncommon in Tasmania.”
The tragic scene has devastated locals, as they took to social media to express their heartbreak.
“How terribly sad, sometimes all we can do is bear witness,” one woman commented
A user wrote: “That’s awful, must have been such a heartbreaking scene,”
“It’s been happening what feels like every year now and it really makes me sad,” replied another.