Rescue efforts save over 30 pilot whales in New Zealand operation
Over 30 pilot whales stranded on a beach in New Zealand have been rescued, the Associated Press reported on Monday. The animals were moved into the water on fabric sheets, thanks to the efforts of local residents and activists from the nature conservation agency.
More than 30 cetaceans from the dolphin family were stuck on Ruakaka Beach, near the town of Whangarei in the northwestern part of the North Island. Pilot whales navigate using echolocation, and the protruding coastline of New Zealand with its shallow, sloping beaches may have disoriented them.
Four pilot whales did not survive
On Sunday, over 30 pilot whales were moved back into the water. On Monday, a team from the Ministry of Conservation monitored Ruakaka Beach to ensure the cetaceans did not become stranded again. Ministry spokesperson Joel Lauterbach stated, it is "amazing" how many people helped save the pod stranded on the beach.
"This response shows the deep connection we all feel with our marine environment," he added.
Though over 30 pilot whales were saved, four did not survive. They were three adults and one juvenile.
Maori sacred treasure
On Monday, the Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, conducted a ceremony for the pilot whales. In Māori culture, whales are considered taonga, meaning sacred treasure.
In New Zealand, whales, especially pilot whales, frequently become stranded on the shore. Since 1840, more than five thousand such cases have been recorded. According to the New Zealand Department of Conservation, the most dramatic incident occurred in 1918, when about 1,000 individuals were stranded on the Chatham Islands.
Pilot whales are aquatic mammals that resemble dolphins in appearance. The genus includes species found in both tropical and arctic waters across all the world's oceans. Their body length ranges from five to seven metres (adult individuals), and calves are born measuring close to two metres in length and weighing between 40 to 80 kilograms. Adult males can weigh up to 3,500 kilograms.
Source: PAP, Ekologia.pl
