More than 30 stranded pilot whales rescued in New Zealand

[JACK AYLMER]

A REMARKABLE EFFORT TO SAVE DOZENS OF WHALES FROM CERTAIN DEATH.

MORE THAN 30 STRANDED PILOT WHALES SUNDAY WERE RESCUED BY RESIDENTS AND CONSERVATION WORKERS DOWN UNDER.

[DAVE MILNER]

WE’VE HAD, YOU KNOW, A REALLY AWESOME RESPONSE FROM THE COMMUNITY. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE COME DOWN TO HELP, AND YOU KNOW, IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THEIR UNITY, YOU KNOW, FOR THE SAME PURPOSE.

[JACK AYLMER]

VOLUNTEERS LIFTED THE WHALES BACK INTO THE WATER USING SHEETS OFF THE COAST OF NORTHERN NEW ZEALAND.

[JOEL LAUTERBACH]

“SO, THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN WATER. OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, SAFETY IS A REAL PRIORITY HERE AND SO PROJECT JONAH HAS GOT A WHOLE TEAM OF TRAINED, YOU KNOW, VOLUNTEERS WHO SUPPORT EVENTS LIKE THESE. AND THEY’RE TRAINED TO BE IN THE WATER, THEY’RE TRAINED TO BE AROUND THESE AMAZING ANIMALS AND BASICALLY MAKING A LOT OF NOISE AND REALLY ENCOURAGING THEM BACK OUT BY SPLASHING AND YEAH, AND REFLOATING AS WELL.”

[JACK AYLMER]

DESPITE THE MASS EFFORT, FOUR WHALES DID DIE, INCLUDING THREE ADULTS AND ONE CALF. 

CONSERVATIONISTS WATCHED MONDAY TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO CASES OF RESTRANDING.

NEW ZEALAND IS A HOTSPOT FOR WHALES SWIMMING ASHORE, RECORDING MORE THAN FIVE-THOUSAND WHALE STRANDINGS SINCE 1840, ACCORDING TO NEW ZEALAND’S DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION.

THE LARGEST WHALE STRANDING OCCURRED IN 1918 WHEN AROUND ONE-THOUSAND WHALES BECAME BEACHED.

IT’S UNCLEAR HOW OR WHY THE STRANDINGS HAPPEN SO OFTEN BUT BIOLOGISTS BELIEVE THE ISLAND NATION’S GEOGRAPHY PLAYS A ROLE.

NEW ZEALAND’S NORTH AND SOUTH ARE HOME TO EXTENDED COASTLINES WITH SLOPED BEACHES AND CAN SOMETIMES CONFUSE WHALES, WHICH RELY ON ECHOLOCATION TO NAVIGATE.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M JACK AYLMER.