New Zealanders rally to save stranded pilot whales
The Associated Press reported on Monday that more than 30 pilot whales stranded on a beach in New Zealand have been rescued. Thanks to the involvement of local residents and environmental agency activists, the animals were moved back to the water using fabric sheets.
Over 30 mammals from the dolphin family were stranded on Ruakaka Beach, near the city of Whangarei in the northwestern part of the North Island. Pilot whales navigate using echolocation, and the protruding New Zealand coastline with its shallow, sloping beaches may have disoriented them.
Four pilot whales did not survive
On Sunday, more than 30 pilot whales were moved to the water. On Monday, a team from the Ministry of Conservation monitored Ruakaka Beach to ensure the mammals did not become stranded again. Ministry spokesperson Joel Lauterbach said it was "amazing" how many people helped save the beached pod.
"This response shows the deep connection we all feel with our marine environment," he added.
Although over 30 pilot whales were saved, four did not survive. These included three adults and one juvenile.
The sacred treasure of the Maori
On Monday, the Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, held a ceremony for the pilot whales. In Maori culture, whales are considered taonga, or sacred treasures.
In New Zealand, whales, especially pilot whales, often end up stranded. Since 1840, there have been over five thousand such cases recorded. According to the New Zealand Ministry of Conservation, the most dramatic situation occurred in 1918 when about 1,000 individuals were stranded on the Chatham Islands.
Pilot whales are marine mammals resembling dolphins in appearance. The species inhabits both tropical and Arctic waters of all the world's oceans. Their body length ranges from 16 to 23 feet for adults, and young are born measuring nearly 7 feet long and weighing between 88 to 176 pounds. Adult males can weigh up to 7,700 pounds.
Source: PAP, Ekologia.pl
