Although over 30 pilot whales were saved, four of them sadly died. Photo: Department of Conservation//Facebook
Over 30 pilot whales have been safely returned to the sea after stranding themselves on a beach in New Zealand.
According to reports, while four of the whales were sadly euthanized, volunteers and conservation workers were able to get most of them back into the water by lifting them onto sheets.
New Zealand is a “whale stranding hotspot,” and pilot whales are known to strand themselves more often than other species. It’s not entirely understood why they do it, however.
The Department of Conservation told The Associated Press that they were keeping a close eye on Ruakākā Beach, which is in the north of New Zealand. Hundreds of people came out to help the whales.
“It’s amazing to witness the genuine care and compassion people have shown toward these magnificent animals,” Joel Lauterbach, a Department of Conservation spokesperson, said in a statement. “This response demonstrates the deep connection we all share with our marine environment.”
Since whales are especially important to New Zealand’s Indigenous people the whales that died — three adults and a calf — were honored in a Māori cultural ceremony on Monday.
