Volunteers in New Zealand sought to save more than 400 Pilot whales stranded on the coast of Farewell Spit, on the southern island of New Zealand. About 300 animals are declared dead and the case is considered one of the worst cases in New Zealand.
Hundreds of local people and conservation department officials tried to save the pope since early Friday morning. They also formed a chain of men to bring the Popes to the seas.
So far scientists do not know exactly why hundreds of whales are stranded to the coast. But sometimes it happens because the animal was old and sickly, injured, or did a navigation mistake especially along the rampant beach. When one a stranded whale, he will send a signal of danger, and his flock will follow him and get stranded during low tide.
The New Zealand Conservation Department said it received a report on the stranded whale Pilot on Thursday night. But a new rescue operation could be held Friday morning, because it was too dangerous to do a rescue on Thursday night, as reported daily New Zealand Herald.
Andrew Lamason, head of the Regional conservation department, said the 400-tailed Pope was the largest in New Zealand this time. New Zealand Marine Mammal Foundation, Project Jonah. Involved in the papal rescue effort, said there were a total of 416 stranded whales.
The surviving Pope was sought in the “cold, calm and comfortable conditions” by the medical officers and members of the community, he added. Some whales were attempted to return to the offshore seas, and the volunteers formed a chain of people to make it easier for them to return to deeper waters, the volunteer Ana Wiles said.
“We managed to bring some whale pilots into the deep waters, but a lot of dead in shallow waters so that made us right, right sad.”
“One of the most enjoyable things is when we managed to immerse some whales. Some of them have babies, “added Wiles. New Zealand is one of the highest-stranded marine mammals in the world, with about 300 dolphins and whales ending at the beach each year, according to Project Jonah. Many cases occur in Farewell Spit. Experts say shallow waters seem to confuse the whales and inhibit their ability to navigate.
In February 2015 around 200 were stranded in the same location, and half of them died.
