‘We have never seen this’: scientists baffled by behaviour of pilot whales before WA mass stranding

Environment minister says way pod crowded tightly together 150 metres offshore before becoming beached is ‘unique and pretty incredible’

• Race to save almost 50 pilot whales stranded in WA after dozens die
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Officials are baffled by the remarkable behaviour of a large pod of pilot whales that grouped together in a heart shape before stranding themselves on a remote Western Australian beach.

Drone footage captured the moment a pod of almost 100 long-finned pilot whales moved tightly together before stranding themselves at Cheynes beach about 60km east of Albany on Tuesday evening.