Over 150 pilot whales are thought to have died after beaching themselves on a remote and rocky section of the Tasmanian coast. Photos from the scene show the sea turned red as the animals struggled on the shore.

This is the second pilot whale stranding off Tasmania in a month.

Although an early announcement put the number of dead at 80, the toll has since risen. Warwick Brennan of the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries and Water, told AFP, “155 are dead.”

Around 30 long-finned pilot whales were rescued. They have not been seen since, which is a good sign.

“The rescuers were always up against it,” says Brennan (The Age). “The whales had come ashore on rocks and were being battered around. The pictures show a lot of blood in the water. It was a grim sight.”

The rescue team has already had to defend itself against allegations they were slow to respond. Opposition politicians say the incident shows the need for a national whale rescue programme.