Nearly 200 pilot whales stranded on two New Zealand beaches over the weekend. The first incident involved 63 pilot whales stranded on North Island. Rescuers were able to coax 43 of the magnificent creatures back to sea.
According to news reports, hundreds of volunteers and conservation officials rushed to the popular spot over the holiday weekend to help the stranded whales. Volunteers covered the whales in sheets to keep them wet. One whale even gave birth after being rescued! As of Monday, the rescued whales were well out to sea.
In a second stranding incident, 105 long-finned pilot whales, Globicephala melas, were spotted by a tourist plane hundreds of miles away on South Island. By the time rescuers reached the whales, only 30 were alive. The whales had been out of the water for quite some time. According to Hans Stoffregen, biodiversity program manager for the Golden Bay region, “You could see the pain and suffering in their eyes.” Due to the hot weather conditions and their deteriorating condition, the whales were euthanized.
Not an uncommon occurrence, many whales become stranded on New Zealand beaches en route to breeding grounds. While the exact cause of whale strandings is unclear, some speculate the strandings occur due to navigational problems, magnetic field issues or possible illness. Some believe climate change may also affect pilot whales’ migration patterns. Pilot whales normally travel in large groups, are very social and follow the leader.
Pilot whales image
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