Four sperm whales have died a day after beaching a long east China's Jiangsu province. The whales were first found alive in the early morning on Friday on a beach in the Xintan Salt Field in the city of Yancheng. By Saturday morning all four were confirmed dead despite rescue efforts.

A frontier defense soldier sprays water to preserve moisture for a stranded sperm whale on the beach of Yancheng City, east China's Jiangsu Province, March 17, 2012. [Xinhua]

According to Xu Xinrong, a senior animal researcher with a local university, this is the second time a group of whales have beached themselves on China's coast. In 1985, 6 whales died after beaching in east Fujian province. Scientists thus far have been unable to explain the reasons behind the beaching.

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