Mystery as 14 rare sperm whales are found washed up dead & covered with blood in mass beaching on Australian island

MYSTERY surrounds the death of 14 sperm whales that became stranded on a beach on King Island off Australia’s state of Tasmania. Tasmania officials confirmed the young whales were already dead when they washed ashore and were discovered on Monday. A total of 14 sperm whales have been found dead on a rocky beachAssociated Press Scientists are baffled by the reasons the whales may have travelled to the shoreAssociated Press “It is possible the whales were part of the same bachelor pod – a group of younger male sperm whales associating together after leaving the maternal group,” a spokesman for Tasmania’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said in a statement. Because of the nature of the environment in which the whales have washed up, the bodies will be left to decompose as it would prove difficult to remove them. “Members of the public are reminded it is an offence to interfere with protected wildlife, including being in possession of parts of a dead whale, and are asked to keep their distance.” Photos distributed by the department showed the marine mammals lying on their sides in shallow water on the island’s rugged shore. READ MORE IN WORLD NEWS LIVING HELL Putin’s dungeon where victims tortured in ELECTRIC CHAIR to give savage shocks LEFT TO ROT Ukraine finds new TANK GRAVEYARD packed with vehicles as Putin’s soldiers flee A local resident said she went down to the beach with her family and saw the stranded whales. “They lay there for quite a long time as they already had a specific smell and blood around,” she told ABC. The Department said the whales had been found at a fishing spot. Wildlife scientist Vanessa Pirotta, meanwhile, said the reasons why whales would travel towards the shore still remain a “complete mystery”. Most read in News THAWING OUT Cold snap to come to an end as clouds & rain replaced with 22C clear skies FAMILY BOND Princess Charlotte shares touching moment with Harry during Queen's funeral TOGETHER AGAIN Queen's coffin is lowered into vault as she's reunited with Prince Philip TAKING HER CUE Adorable moment mourning Charlotte copies aunt with touching show of respect EARLY EXIT Fans all say the same thing as Beatrice & Eugenie appear to leave during funeral LOST FOR WORDS Viewers say same thing about Harry during national anthem at Queen's funeral “We simply do not know why this happens,” Pirotta, told the ABC. “That’s the million-dollar question every time this kind of event happens.” Local residents said that they had witnesses whale beachings every year or two. Read More on The Sun out of line Watch the moment Holly and Phil ‘jump the HUGE queue to see the Queen’s coffin’ FAMILY TIES William & Harry have a 'forgotten' stepsister & she was at the Queen's funeral A plane will be dispatched to check for any other strandings in the area. Authorities have carried out necropsies to try and understand how the animals ended up dead on the shore. Officials conducted necropsies of the whales to try to determine their cause of death.Associated Press The whales were all lying on their sides in shallow waterAssociated Press