Up to 100 whales are in the sea loch Marine animal experts are trying to prevent a mass stranding by up to 100 pilot whales in South Uist in the Western Isles.
The whales were spotted in Loch Carnan on Thursday afternoon and some were said to have had cuts to their heads.
It is thought the injuries may have been caused by attempts to strand themselves on the rocky foreshore of the sea loch.
Rescuers said inflatable pontoons for refloating whales were on the way.
Members of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) fear the whales could die in a massive beaching – which could be Scotland’s largest stranding.
BDMLR Scottish organiser Alasdair Jack said: “Rather than try to stop them coming ashore, we would let them come ashore and then try to deal with situation when it arose.
“We have got several sets of pontoons with us, which is our whale refloatation equipment, and we have got more on the way.
“We have currently got 12 sets congregating on the Uists, which is basically every set in the UK.”
In October a pod of pilot whales were in danger in the same sea loch.
Days later 33 whales, thought to be the same group, were discovered dead on a beach in County Donegal.
Pilot whales can grow up to about 20ft (6.1m) and are among the most common marine mammals.
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