Sixteen pilot whales have died after a mass stranding on Sable Island.
The Marine Animal Response Society says it received a report from Parks Canada on June 10 about the stranding at Sable Island National Park Reserve.
The island is located about 290 kilometres southeast of Halifax.
MARS says the whales were first discovered by a member of the Sable Island Institute during a routine beach survey.
The stranding was then reported to Parks Canada.
By the time Parks Canada personnel arrived, some of the whales had already died.
MARS says intervention was not possible because of the remote location and the circumstances of the incident.
The remaining animals died shortly afterward.
The organization says valuable information was still collected.
Parks Canada personnel documented the animals and collected samples on behalf of MARS.
The group says that work will help improve understanding of marine mammal health and the factors that may contribute to strandings.
MARS says mass strandings of pilot whales are a natural phenomenon that have happened around the world for centuries, though many questions remain about why they occur.
The organization thanked the Sable Island Institute and Parks Canada for their response and documentation during what it called a challenging incident.
