Shark warnings have been issued by Victorian Fisheries following the mass whale stranding at a remote section of coast in the Croajingolong National Park.
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The public are urged to avoid entering the water in the area between Wingan Inlet and Point Hicks.
Due to a whale carcass there has been an increase in shark activity reported at Petrel Point on the Croajingolong coast.
Assessors from the Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP) and Parks Victoria are on site, where it’s understood 27 pilot whales and one humpback whale were found beached on Tuesday afternoon, November 27.
Mallacoota Surf Lifesaving Club also issued advice to stay out of the water after a pilot whale was sighted washed up yesterday, 4km north of Bastion Point, Mallacoota.
DELP and Parks Victoria said they are responding to the whale carcasses which have been dead for a while given the condition of the carcasses.
The incident management team are working on the best strategy to remove two carcasses located east of the Mallacoota township on Big Beach.
Victorian Fisheries stated, “a whale stranding can attract sharks to the area and mean they are closer to the shore than normal.”
“While it is not uncommon for sharks to be present off the Victorian coast, you should exercise additional caution in the area.”
Comments on social media have sparked questions as to whether the mass stranding of almost 150 whales off the coast of New Zealand is related.
Incident Controller Stephen Young said “there is no clear evidence to suggest the incident is related to the stranding further west however, the condition of the animals suggest they may have died within a similar time frame.”
