32 pilot whales rescued out of 230 stranded in Australia

HOBART, Australia (AP) — Wildlife experts on Thursday rescued 32 of the 230 whales that were found stranded on the wild and remote west coast of Australia’s island state Tasmania a day earlier.

Half the pod of pilot whales found stranded in Macquarie Harbour were presumed Wednesday to still be alive, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania said.

But only 35 had survived the pounding surf overnight, Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service manager Brendon Clark said.

“Of the 35 that were remaining alive this morning, we’ve managed to refloat, rescue and release … 32 of those animals, and so that’s a terrific result,” Clark told reporters late Thursday at nearby Strahan.