Rescue mission saves 30 pilot whales stranded in New Zealand

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 New Zealand's protruding coastline with its shallow, sloping beaches may have disoriented them.

On Sunday, more than 30 pilot whales were returned to 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 said it was "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 more than 30 pilot whales were saved, four did not survive. They were three adults and one juvenile.

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, are frequently stranded on the shore. Since 1840, over five thousand such cases have been recorded. According to the New Zealand Department of Conservation, the most dramatic situation occurred in 1918, when around 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 tropical and arctic waters across all the world's oceans. Their body length ranges from five to seven metres for adult individuals, and calves are born measuring close to two metres in length and weighing between 90 to 180 pounds. Adult males can weigh up to 3.5 tonnes.

Source: PAP, Ekologia.pl