By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 19:43 EST, 4 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:39 EST, 4 December 2013 . Wildlife workers in boats struggled Wednesday to coax nearly four dozen pilot whales out of dangerous shallow waters in Florida's Everglades National Park, hoping to spare them the fate of 10 others that already have died. Six of the whales were found dead, and four of the whales had to be euthanized Wednesday, said Blair Mase, coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's marine mammal stranding network. At least three could be seen on the beach, out of the water. The whales are stranded in a remote area near Highland Beach, the western boundary of Everglades National Park and about 20 miles east of where they normally live. Beached: Pilot whales are stranded on a beach in a remote area of the western portion of Everglades National Park, Florida. Federal officials said some whales have died. The marine mammals are known to normally inhabit deep water . No chance: A dead pilot whale lies near the beach in a remote area of Florida's Everglades National Park. Federal officials say 10 of the dozens of whales stranded in Florida's Everglades National Park are now dead . It takes more than an hour to reach the spot from the nearest boat ramp and there is no cellphone service, complicating rescue efforts. 'We want to set the expectation low, because the challenges are very, very difficult,' Mase said. Park spokeswoman Linda Friar said rescuers were trying to surround the whales, which were in roughly 3 feet of salt water about 75 feet from shore, and herd them back to sea. 'They are not cooperating,' Friar said. Tragic: Four of the whales had to be euthanized Wednesday, and six others already had died. Necropsies were being preformed this afternoon . In Danger: A frantic rescue operation has begun along a remote beach at Everglades National Park, where 51 whales have become trapped in the shallows and 10 have died . Workers also tried to nudge the whales out to sea earlier in the day with no success. The short-finned pilot whales typically live in very deep water. Even if rescuers were able to begin nudging the 41 remaining whales out to sea, Mase said they would encounter a series of sandbars and patches of shallow water along the way. This particular whale species is also known for its close-knit social groups, meaning if one whale gets stuck or stays behind, the others are likely to stay behind or even beach themselves as well. 'It would be very difficult for the whales to navigate out on their own,' Mase said. Federal officials were notified about the whales Tuesday around 4 p.m. Because of the remote location, workers were unable to access the site before dark. They arrived Wednesday morning and discovered 45 whales still alive. Officials in boats monitor the scene: The rescue strategy is to keep the whales alive during low tide and then use the rising waters of high tide to get the creatures to swim back to deeper, and safer waters. Six whales have been rescued so far . Miffed: For reasons not yet known, a pod of them penetrated the maze of shoals and sand flats on the Gulf side of the park, cutting themselves off from their usual habitat and food supply . 'There were some that were very compromised and in very poor condition,' Mase said. Four were euthanized with sedatives, and more could be put down Thursday if their condition deteriorates, Mase said. She described the remaining whales as swimming and mobile but said scientists don't know how long they have been out of the deep, colder water they are accustomed to and could be impacted by secondary consequences, such as dehydration. 'I don't think we have a lot of time,' Mase said. Necropsies were being done Wednesday on the deceased whales. Scientists will look for disease or other signs to indicate how whales got stuck in the shallow Everglades waters. As workers tried to coax the animals to deeper water, at least one could be seen a few feet from shore floating upside down with its head bobbing up and down. Three to four more could be seen on the beach bleeding. Grim: Officials are pessimistic about the prospects of the 41 that remain, saying they will try to herd them to freedom through a 20-mile labyrinth of sandbars and shallow water, but that it's very difficult, particularly in a remote spot . Twenty-two pilot whales became stranded in Florida's Avalon State Park in Fort Pierce in 2012. Residents, state and national officials attempted to rescue them, but only five could be saved. 'It's not uncommon,' Friar said. 'But it's not something that happens a lot.' Mase said NOAA was consulting with experts in different counties with experience in herding whales to see if there were other options, but said she was not optimistic. 'The outlook ultimately does not look good,' she said.
45 stranded whales may have to be euthanized .
The whales are believed to be short-fin pilot whales .
They are stranded in 3 feet of water on the Gulf of Mexico side of the park .
There is a rescue operation in place to help get the whales to deeper water .
A fishing guide sounded the alarm Tuesday after spotting the whales in distress .
Whale experts say such strandings are common .
By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 19:43 EST, 4 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:39 EST, 4 December 2013 . Wildlife workers in boats struggled Wednesday to coax nearly four dozen pilot whales out of dangerous shallow waters in Florida's Everglades National Park, hoping to spare them the fate of 10 others that already have died. Six of the whales were found dead, and four of the whales had to be euthanized Wednesday, said Blair Mase, coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's marine mammal stranding network. At least three could be seen on the beach, out of the water. The whales are stranded in a remote area near Highland Beach, the western boundary of Everglades National Park and about 20 miles east of where they normally live. Beached: Pilot whales are stranded on a beach in a remote area of the western portion of Everglades National Park, Florida. Federal officials said some whales have died. The marine mammals are known to normally inhabit deep water . No chance: A dead pilot whale lies near the beach in a remote area of Florida's Everglades National Park. Federal officials say 10 of the dozens of whales stranded in Florida's Everglades National Park are now dead . It takes more than an hour to reach the spot from the nearest boat ramp and there is no cellphone service, complicating rescue efforts. 'We want to set the expectation low, because the challenges are very, very difficult,' Mase said. Park spokeswoman Linda Friar said rescuers were trying to surround the whales, which were in roughly 3 feet of salt water about 75 feet from shore, and herd them back to sea. 'They are not cooperating,' Friar said. Tragic: Four of the whales had to be euthanized Wednesday, and six others already had died. Necropsies were being preformed this afternoon . In Danger: A frantic rescue operation has begun along a remote beach at Everglades National Park, where 51 whales have become trapped in the shallows and 10 have died . Workers also tried to nudge the whales out to sea earlier in the day with no success. The short-finned pilot whales typically live in very deep water. Even if rescuers were able to begin nudging the 41 remaining whales out to sea, Mase said they would encounter a series of sandbars and patches of shallow water along the way. This particular whale species is also known for its close-knit social groups, meaning if one whale gets stuck or stays behind, the others are likely to stay behind or even beach themselves as well. 'It would be very difficult for the whales to navigate out on their own,' Mase said. Federal officials were notified about the whales Tuesday around 4 p.m. Because of the remote location, workers were unable to access the site before dark. They arrived Wednesday morning and discovered 45 whales still alive. Officials in boats monitor the scene: The rescue strategy is to keep the whales alive during low tide and then use the rising waters of high tide to get the creatures to swim back to deeper, and safer waters. Six whales have been rescued so far . Miffed: For reasons not yet known, a pod of them penetrated the maze of shoals and sand flats on the Gulf side of the park, cutting themselves off from their usual habitat and food supply . 'There were some that were very compromised and in very poor condition,' Mase said. Four were euthanized with sedatives, and more could be put down Thursday if their condition deteriorates, Mase said. She described the remaining whales as swimming and mobile but said scientists don't know how long they have been out of the deep, colder water they are accustomed to and could be impacted by secondary consequences, such as dehydration. 'I don't think we have a lot of time,' Mase said. Necropsies were being done Wednesday on the deceased whales. Scientists will look for disease or other signs to indicate how whales got stuck in the shallow Everglades waters. As workers tried to coax the animals to deeper water, at least one could be seen a few feet from shore floating upside down with its head bobbing up and down. Three to four more could be seen on the beach bleeding. Grim: Officials are pessimistic about the prospects of the 41 that remain, saying they will try to herd them to freedom through a 20-mile labyrinth of sandbars and shallow water, but that it's very difficult, particularly in a remote spot . Twenty-two pilot whales became stranded in Florida's Avalon State Park in Fort Pierce in 2012. Residents, state and national officials attempted to rescue them, but only five could be saved. 'It's not uncommon,' Friar said. 'But it's not something that happens a lot.' Mase said NOAA was consulting with experts in different counties with experience in herding whales to see if there were other options, but said she was not optimistic. 'The outlook ultimately does not look good,' she said.
four of the whales had to be euthanized could be seen on the beach, out of the water. The whales are stranded in a remote area near roughly 3 feet of salt water about 75 feet from rescue operation has begun along a remote beach the Gulf side of the park, cutting themselves off Twenty-two pilot whales became stranded in