More than 30 pilot whales stranded on a New Zealand beach were successfully returned to the sea thanks to a collaborative effort by locals and conservation workers, who used sheets to refloat the animals.
Unfortunately, four whales—three adults and one calf—did not survive, according to New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC).
New Zealand has long been a hotspot for whale strandings, with pilot whales being particularly susceptible to such events.
The dramatic rescue took place on Ruakākā Beach, near Whangārei on New Zealand’s northern coastline.
Rescuers rope off an area around a dead pilot whale that was stranded on Ruakākā Beach in northland, New Zealand, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. More than 30 whales were safely returned to the ocean. Rescuers rope off an area around a dead pilot whale that was stranded on Ruakākā Beach in northland, New Zealand, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. More than 30 whales were safely returned to the ocean. Nikki Hartley/New Zealand Department Of Conservation/AP
Community Rallies Round
Hundreds of residents joined forces with conservationists on Sunday to save the pod.
By Monday, a DOC team was monitoring the area to ensure the whales hadn’t returned to shore.
The department praised the extraordinary community response.
