Pingtung: Local authorities said Tuesday that four of 11 pygmy killer whales stranded on a Pingtung beach in southern Taiwan have died, while the remaining seven animals will be returned to the open sea after being deemed fit for release.

According to Focus Taiwan, the Coast Guard Administration's (CGA) Southern Branch mobilized around 60 personnel, including whale experts from conservation groups and academic institutions, to respond to the mass stranding of pygmy killer whales in Pingtung's Checheng Township. This was initiated following an early morning report from local citizens.

Rescuers found that four of the whales showed no signs of life upon arrival. The carcasses of these whales will be taken to National Cheng Kung University's Marine Biology and Cetacean Research Center for necropsies to determine the cause of death, as stated by the CGA.

Wang Hao-ven, director of the center, suggested that the pod might have become stranded during low tide while staying behind to care for weakened companions. The seven survivors showed no signs of injury or malnutrition, indicating the social nature of these whales, which often assist weakened pod members.

To save the surviving whales, rescuers quickly constructed temporary pools on the beach, repositioned the animals, and kept them moist by continuously pouring water over them. This was essential to prevent pectoral fin compression and dehydration, according to the CGA.

The surviving whales underwent blood tests that returned normal results. After a thorough assessment, they were found to be in fair condition. Plans are in place to take them offshore by boat and release them back into the wild, as confirmed by the CGA on Tuesday afternoon.

Since the recording of cetacean strandings began in Taiwan in 1994, nearly 20 mass strandings of pygmy killer whales have been documented. These incidents mostly occur along the southwestern coast from Pingtung and Kaohsiung to Tainan, predominantly between late February and April, according to Wang.