A pod of five sperm whales have died after stranding themselves on a remote beach on an island off Tasmania.
The whales were discovered over the weekend on Marshall Bay Beach in the north-west of Flinders Island.
The local Flinders Council closed the beach area in response to the stranding and warned people to stay away.
“Whales are a protected species, even once deceased and it is an offence to interfere with a carcass,” they said.
“We also advise water lovers to be cautious, as there may be an increased shark presence in the area for a period of time.”
Two of the whales initially survived the stranding and were given care on the beach, but they have since passed away.
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE Tas) will collect samples from the dead whales for research purposes.
Marshall Bay Beach will remain closed to the public until further notice.
