Hundreds of pilot whales dead in a biggest mass stranding
More than 400 pilot whales have become stranded on a New Zealand beach – with three-quarters already dead when they were found.
Authorities described it as the worst whale stranding they have ever seen.
The whales were found at remote Farewell Spit at the tip of the South Island on Friday. It is an area that seems to confuse whales and has been the site of previous mass strandings.
Conservation workers and volunteers were hoping to refloat the surviving whales at high tide on Friday morning.
Volunteer rescue group Project Jonah said a total of 416 whales were stranded.
Department of Conservation spokesman Andrew Lamason told Radio New Zealand they were putting sheets and buckets of water on the surviving whales and trying to keep them calm.
A conservation department worker spotted the whales washed ashore on Thursday evening. But the government agency decided against a night rescue effort because of the risk of accidents.
Hoping to save more whales at the next high tide on Friday evening, rescuers took turns pouring water over the beached whales to try and keep them cool, while school children sang to soothe the distressed beasts.
A ferry service offered free transport to qualified marine medics, while broadcast media carried a livestream of the rescue attempt.
Source: http://metro.co.uk/2017/02/10/hundreds-of-pilot-whales-die-in-worlds-biggest-mass-stranding-6439082/
Authorities described it as the worst whale stranding they have ever seen.
The whales were found at remote Farewell Spit at the tip of the South Island on Friday. It is an area that seems to confuse whales and has been the site of previous mass strandings.
Conservation workers and volunteers were hoping to refloat the surviving whales at high tide on Friday morning.
Volunteer rescue group Project Jonah said a total of 416 whales were stranded.
Department of Conservation spokesman Andrew Lamason told Radio New Zealand they were putting sheets and buckets of water on the surviving whales and trying to keep them calm.
A conservation department worker spotted the whales washed ashore on Thursday evening. But the government agency decided against a night rescue effort because of the risk of accidents.
Hoping to save more whales at the next high tide on Friday evening, rescuers took turns pouring water over the beached whales to try and keep them cool, while school children sang to soothe the distressed beasts.
A ferry service offered free transport to qualified marine medics, while broadcast media carried a livestream of the rescue attempt.
Source: http://metro.co.uk/2017/02/10/hundreds-of-pilot-whales-die-in-worlds-biggest-mass-stranding-6439082/
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