Last of nearly 100 pilot whales stranded on Australia beach are euthanized after getting rescued – then re-stranded

Nearly 100 pilot whales became stranded on a beach in Western Australia on Tuesday. Two days and a near-successful rescue attempt later, they are all dead. 

The long-finned pilot whale pod became stranded on Cheynes Beach earlier this week after they were seen huddling together in a tight group just about 328 feet offshore. Soon after, they had washed ashore for unknown reasons. 

Officials at the Parks and Wildlife Service of Western Australia and hundreds of volunteers went to the beach to try to save the animals – one of the largest dolphin species – but by Wednesday morning, more than half of the roughly 96 whales had died. On Thursday, officials worked to save the 45 pilot whales that remained.