Six pilot whales die in New Zealand mass stranding

Six pilot whales have died, and another 15 re-stranded after a mass stranding at Farewell Spit on New Zealand’s South Island on Friday.

Volunteers and Department of Conservation staff worked overnight to refloat the pod of 55 long-finned pilot whales, successfully returning 34 to the sea. Rescue group Project Jonah said teams were battling to save the whales that returned to shore, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.

Farewell Spit is a natural “whale trap” along the migratory route of long-finned pilot whales. Gently sloping tidal flats and rapidly falling tides can easily deceive the whales. The species’ strong social bonds mean that if one whale enters shallow water, others often follow to stay close.

 

News.Az