New Zealand: Dead whales found as rescuers battle mass stranding
Volunteers in New Zealand are working to save pilot whales stranded along the Wairarapa coast, near Cape Palliser. At least 14 have been helped back into the water, but many others have died along the remote coastline.
About 50 pilot whales were discovered stranded on the rocky shores of Ngawi coastline, near Cape Palliser at the southern tip of New Zealand's North Island, after they became beached overnight. The Department of Conservation (DOC) confirmed the tragic event on Thursday afternoon, revealing two pods, with approximately 20 individuals on the beach in the first pod, four still alive, and two successfully refloated during high tide.
Rescuers and marine medics from Project Jonah collaborated with DOC staff, local iwi, and Ngawi volunteers to maintain the well-being of the surviving whales by keeping them wet and cool. Despite these efforts, the majority of the pod perished, and by Thursday evening, the final four survivors, including the two that had been refloated, succumbed to their fate.
Residents estimated the total number of whales to be close to 50, with DOC initially reporting around 20. However, rescuers cautioned that some carcasses had already been carried out to sea, complicating the search along several kilometers of the rugged coastline. Pilot whales are known for their strong social bonds and are particularly vulnerable to mass strandings, which can trap entire pods in shallow coastal waters.
DOC noted that this area had not experienced a mass stranding since the 1990s. The cause of this particular incident remains undetermined.
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