World · East Asia & Pacific · 50 mins ago
About 50 pilot whales found stranded on New Zealand coast
About 50 pilot whales came ashore overnight on the rocky Ngawi coast near Cape Palliser, at the southern tip of New Zealand’s North Island.
The Department of Conservation confirmed about 20 whales in one pod, while residents counted close to 50 along several kilometres of coast.
All the whales that rescuers found alive later died, despite efforts to keep them cool and refloat some at high tide.
Conservation staff, marine rescuers, local iwi and volunteers worked together to care for the surviving whales.
Pilot whales are highly social, which can leave whole pods vulnerable when they enter shallow coastal waters.
The cause of this stranding has not been established, and some bodies were swept out to sea, making the search harder.
The area had not recorded a mass stranding since the 1990s.
About 50 pilot whales were found stranded along the Ngawi coast near Cape Palliser on New Zealand’s North Island after coming ashore overnight.
The Department of Conservation initially confirmed about 20 whales, while local reports put the total at close to 50.
Rescuers worked with local iwi and Project Jonah to keep survivors cool and try to refloat them at high tide.
Two whales were refloated, but all the stranded whales had died by Thursday evening.
The cause of the stranding has not been established.
- Who
- About 50 pilot whales were stranded. Rescuers included Department of Conservation staff, Project Jonah, local iwi and Ngawi volunteers.
- What
- The whales came ashore and died despite rescue efforts.
- When
- They came ashore overnight and were found on Thursday morning. The last survivors were reported dead by Thursday evening.
- Where
- The Ngawi coast near Cape Palliser, at the southern tip of New Zealand’s North Island.
- Why
- The cause has not been established.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Pilot whales came ashore along the Ngawi coast.
Rescuers found the whales, with initial reports saying at least 20 were stranded.
Two whales were refloated during high tide.
The last four survivors were dead.
- Estimated total
- About 50 whales, according to local reports
- Initial confirmed count
- About 20 whales, according to the Department of Conservation
- Location
- Ngawi coast near Cape Palliser, North Island
- Refloated
- Two whales
- Outcome
- No stranded whales survived
- Cause
- Not established
3 sources
What people are saying
It’s horrible. The ones that are alive are on their last breaths.
einem schwierigen und belastenden Ereignis