150头短鳍领航鲸搁浅澳大利亚海滩

About 150 whales have become stranded on a beach in Australia, prompting a major rescue effort.

大约有150头鲸鱼滞留在澳大利亚的海滩上，引发了一场重大的救援行动。

The animals were spotted by a fisherman at Hamelin Bay, about 300km (180 miles) south of Perth, early on Friday.

周五早些时候，这些动物在珀斯以南大约300公里（180英里）的Hamelin湾被渔民发现。

About half of the whales were already dead, according to authorities in Western Australian (WA).

西澳大利亚州（WA）的官员称，约有一半的鲸鱼已经死亡。

Conservation officials said they were trying to save the surviving animals on the beach.

保育官员表示，他们正试图挽救在沙滩上幸存的动物。

"The strength of the animals and the windy and possibly wet weather conditions will affect when and where we attempt to move them out to sea," said Jeremy Chick, from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

“生物多样性，保护和景点部的Jeremy Chick说：“该动物的力量，大风和可能潮湿的天气条件会影响我们何时何地将它们移出并送回海域。”

Officials said the animals were thought to be short-finned pilot whales, a species known to strand "en masse".

官员们表示，这些动物被认为是短肢领航鲸，这种鲸鱼是已知的“集体”搁浅物种。

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that dozens of rescuers were at the beach.

澳大利亚广播公司报道说，数十名救援人员在海滩上。

Authorities have also issued a shark alert, warning people to stay away from the area.

当局也发出鲨鱼警报，警告人们远离该地区。

"It is possible the dead and dying animals will act as an attractant, which could lead to sharks coming close into shore along this stretch of coast," the state’s fisheries department said in a statement.

该州渔业部门在一份声明中说：“死亡和垂死的动物可能会成为一种引诱，这可能导致鲨鱼沿着这片海岸靠近岸边。”

Short-finned pilot whales usually measure up to 5m (16ft) and are found in tropical and sub-tropical waters, according to officials.

根据官员的说法，短肢领航鲸通常长达5米（16英尺），生活在热带和亚热带海域。

Scientists do not know exactly what causes whales to beach themselves.

科学家们不知道究竟是什么原因导致鲸鱼在海滩上搁浅。

Experts have said stranding can occur when whales are sick, injured, or make navigational errors, particularly along gentle sloping beaches.

专家们表示，当鲸鱼生病，受伤或出现航行错误时，搁浅可能会发生，特别是在温和倾斜的海滩上。

Sometimes beached animals can send out distress signals that attract other whales to become stranded.

有时候，困在海滩上的动物可能会发出危险信号，吸引其他鲸鱼被困。

In 1996, about 320 long-finned whales became beached in Western Australia’s largest stranding.

在1996年，约有320只长鳍鲸搁浅在西澳大利亚最大的搁浅地点。