2 Mar 2009

Whales, dolphins beached in Tasmania

3:29 pm on 2 March 2009

Nearly 200 whales and several dolphins are stranded on a beach on King Island, Tasmania.

About 194 pilot whales and six or seven bottlenose dolphins began stranding on Naracoopa Beach on King Island, about halfway between Tasmania and Victoria, from 7.30pm local time on Sunday.

The state parks and wildlife service told AAP some have died, but many were still alive.

The service said it was unusual to have whales and dolphins strand simultaneously.