Nearly 50 Whales Stranded, Four Die In Florida

In this Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2013, photo provided by the National Park Service, pilot whales are stranded on a beach in a remote area of the western portion of Everglades National Park, Fla. Federal officials said some whales have died. The marine mammals are known to normally inhabit deep water. (AP Photo/National Park Service)

In this Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2013 photo provided by the National Park Service, pilot whales are positioned in shallow waters just off a beach in a remote area of the western portion of Everglades National Park, Fla. Federal officials said some whales have died. The marine mammals are known to normally inhabit deep water. (AP Photo/National Park Service)

Officials are working to rescue nearly 50 beached whales in a remote area in Everglades National Park.

The short-finned pilot whales were discovered Tuesday, at around 2 p.m., by a fishing guide near Highland Beach, which is on the west side of Everglades National Park.

"They found about 30 whales, about nine of them were beached, five of them were re-floated and about four of them were already deceased," said Everglades National Park Ranger Sharon Hutkowski.

She said the rescue efforts continue with Park rangers, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and law enforcement.

"At this time, they are still attempting to re-float a number of whales that are in shallow water," she said.

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