Race to save over 200 beached whales

Scientists in Australia faced a race against time Monday (September 21) to save a massive pod of pilot whales stranded on a remote coastline.

Officials believe around 270 of the animals are stranded in shallow water in Macquarie Heads, Tasmania.

Rescuers were working out a rescue strategy Monday.

They believe 25 of the whales have already died so far.

Moving the animals won't be a simple task - pilot whales can grow 7 meters long and can weigh up to 3 tons.

Whale beachings are not uncommon in the area, but a mass stranding of this size has not been seen off the coast of Tasmania since 2009.

It is not known why whales - which travel together in pods - sometimes beach themselves.

They are known, however, to follow a leader and gather around an injured or distressed whale.