Three whales have been euthanased after they returned to a beach in Western Australia following a mass stranding.
Seven of the 150 short-finned pilot whales that became stranded at Hamelin Bay were rescued by authorities with the help of vets and more than 100 volunteers.
But three later returned to dry land and had to be euthanased, the Parks and Wildlife Service said on Saturday.
A remaining four have not been sighted, but there is a risk they could return to the beach.
"We ask the public to keep a look-out and if anyone sees a stranded whale to please report it," Incident Controller Jeremy Chick said.
Authorities swept the surrounding beaches by air and sea on Saturday, and haven't found any further whales.
Rescue efforts were hampered by dead whales in the water, rocky terrain and rough seas at the bay, which is near Augusta.
All whale carcasses have now been removed from the main stranding site and outlying areas.
"There are two deceased whales remaining in inaccessible terrain and a plan is being developed to remove them as soon as logistically possible," Mr Chick said.
Authorities are taking DNA samples in a bid to understand why the whales beached.
A commercial fisherman spotted the large number of whales early on Friday morning.
"I think it's absolutely incredible. I've never seen anything like it, so many whales beached like this," tourist Barrie Brickle said.
A shark alert has been issued as the whale carcasses may attract the ocean predators.
Hamelin Beach remains closed from Hamelin Caravan Park to North Point.
The biggest mass beaching in WA occurred in 1996 in Dunsborough, when 320 long-finned pilot whales beached themselves.
Short-finned pilot whales are:
- Closely related to long-finned pilot whales but have shorter flippers with less of an elbow
- Brownish-grey to black, with a pinkish-grey anchor shape on the undersides
- Have a bulbous forehead but the flippers are less than 18 per cent of the body length
- About 4m long for females and 5.5m for males
- Inhabitants of tropical and sub-tropical waters
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