Emergency teams are battling time and tides to save 15 stranded pilot whales at Farewell Spit, New Zealand's South Island, following a mass stranding this week. Six whales have died since Friday's incident, while 34 others were successfully returned to sea after Thursday's initial stranding of 55 marine mammals.
Department of Conservation (DOC) staff and volunteers worked through Friday night using specialized equipment to keep the remaining whales hydrated and stable. "The next high tide presents our best chance to guide these social creatures back to deeper waters," said DOC marine species coordinator Dr. Amanda Whitcombe.
Farewell Spit's shallow waters and hook-shaped geography have made it the site of 10 pilot whale strandings since 2022. Marine biologists attribute this pattern to the area's unique tidal patterns and the whales' strong social bonds that can lead entire pods to follow stranded members.
