Battle to save beached whales

Rescuers trying to save at least two stranded sperm whales on a beach off Australia's southern coast have had their attempts to move the animals back out to sea hindered by sandbars.

Wildlife rangers poured water over the group of whales, the only survivors from a pod of about 45 which beached on a sandbar off the the northwest coast of Tasmania.

Marine Biologist David Pemberton said he was always hopeful that some whales could be rescued if the conditions were favourable.