Eighty whales beach in Australia

Sydney, March 23 (DPA) Wildlife experts were struggling Monday to save a pod of 80 whales that came ashore near Margaret River on Australia's west coast.

Residents of Margaret River, 270 km south of Perth, called in help after finding the pod of False Killer Whales at Hamelin Bay.

'Quite a group of people tried to push the ones that were still alive back out to sea,' a caller to national broadcaster ABC said. 'We think six or seven have swum back out to sea, but there's a good chance they will beach themselves further up, but at least they were breathing and swimming.'

A Department of Environment and Conservation spokeswoman confirmed the beaching and that a rescue team was on its way to Hamelin Bay.

Opinions differ on why strandings happen. Whales are highly socialised animals and seemed wired to come to the aid of one of their number that gets into difficulties in shallow water.