World News – AU – Nearly 100 whales killed in mass stranding in Chatham Islands

A mass stranding on the remote Chatham Islands in the Pacific has killed almost 100 whales, the New Zealand Ministry of Nature Conservation announced on Wednesday.

A total of 97 pilot whales and three dolphins died during the stranding, which alerted the employees of the nature conservation department on Sunday afternoon.

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Due to the remote location of the islands and a power outage that made it difficult to contact people as part of the rescue operation, it was 3 p. m. When the rangers arrived at Waitangi West Beach.

“At this point only 26 of the whales were still alive, most of which looked very weak. They were euthanized due to the harsh sea conditions and the near certainty that there are great white sharks in the water that are being introduced, ”said biodiversity ranger Jemma Welch in a statement.

Two more whales were stranded and had to be euthanized on Monday when staff made another visit to the construction site.

Representatives from the Hokotehi Moriori Indigenous Trust and the Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri Iwi Trust joined the Ministry of Conservation staff on Sunday where they held a prayer to honor the spirit of the whales.

Pilot whales are one of the most common types of whales in New Zealand waters and can grow up to 20 feet long. The animals live in groups of tens, hundreds, and sometimes thousands.

Mass strandings on the remote islands are not uncommon. In a single stranding in 1918, up to 1 died. 000 animals.

In late September, more than 450 pilot whales were stranded off the west coast of Tasmania. This was the worst whale stranding event the Australian island has ever seen. At least a third of the animals died trying to rescue them.

Whale stranding, whales, New Zealand, pilot whales, Chatham Islands territory