Marine experts have given up hope of rescuing 157 false killer whales that stranded on a remote Australian beach.

Department liaison officer Brendon Clark said the stranding was the first by false killer whales in Tasmania in since 1974. That was a pod of more than 160 whales that landed on a beach near Stanley on the northwest coast. Strandings in Tasmania are usually pilot whales.

After 157 false killer whales were stranded on a Tasmanian beach, experts said only 90 have survived. Following a few failed "refloating" attempts to return the whales to the sea, the remaining survivors are expected to be euthanized.