Western Australia

The incident is reminiscent of one in September, in which some 200 pilot whales died after a pod stranded itself on the remote west coast of Tasmania, off Australia's southeastern coast.

In May, mining giant Rio Tinto blasted through two ancient rock shelters in Western Australia in order to mine iron ore. The company has been under rising pressure to hold executives accountable.

NPR's Scott Simon reflects on the giant steer that became an Internet sensation and why more people should consider eating less meat.