Rescuers in New Zealand hope to have saved 60 pilot whales after about 140 died when they became stranded on a sandy spit.
The pod became beached on Farewell Spit in Golden Bay on Friday in one of the worst such incidents in recent years.
There have been numerous whale strandings in the past on the narrow spit at the northern end of the South Island, 95 miles (150km) west of Nelson.
Hundreds of conservation staff and volunteers worked to refloat the whales on Friday, but 24 had died by nightfall. Many of the refloated whales became stranded again on Saturday about 4 miles west of the original beaching and subsequently died.
Department of Conservation area manager Andrew Lamason said: “Each time they re-strand their health goes down quite dramatically.”
Whales re-strand at Farewell Spit http://t.co/PqLCr56z9b
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The surviving whales were kept alive on Saturday until they could be refloated at high tide in the early evening.
Lead whales were taken out on pontoons and other whales were moved to follow them, Lamason said.
“They’re all off and the lead whales are actually now swimming into deep water and are going in the right direction,” he said. “Our guys are moving in behind them to keep an eye on them and it’s looking quite good.”
The whales will be monitored overnight.
Pilot whales grow to about 20ft (6 metres) in length and are the most common species of whale found in New Zealand waters.
The geography of Golden Bay meant it was often the site of strandings, Lamason said. “It’s a big, shallow hook. Things come in, they get disoriented, and unfortunately we end up with a lot of dead whales.
“The whales also go through a lot of physical and emotional trauma. It’s sad but in a way it’s how nature works.”
Lamason said the incident had been distressing. “There’s a lot of young ones out there that have already passed away. It’s been quite an emotional time for our staff.”
