MASS STRANDING LEAVES NEARLY 100 WHALES DEAD IN NEW ZEALAND

Wed 25 November 2020:

More than 100 pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins are dead after being stranded on the Chatham Islands, with 26 of them having to be euthanised.

New Zealand’s Department of Conservation on Wednesday said, Ninety-seven whales and three dolphins died in the stranding, and 26 of the animals were alive but very weak.

“Only 26 of the whales were still alive at this point, the majority of them appearing very weak, and were euthanised due to the rough sea conditions and almost certainty of there being great white sharks in the water which are brought in by a stranding like this,” said DOC Biodiversity Ranger Jemma Welch.

Mass strandings are reasonably common on the Chatham Islands. In 1918, up to 1,000 animals died in a single mass stranding.

Mass whale strandings have occurred throughout recorded modern history, and why it happens is a question that has puzzled marine biologists for years.

Commercial diver and photographer Sam Wild said

the diving community is told to stay out of the water when there has been a whale stranding because the Chatham Islands has a population of great white sharks which may come in to feed on the carcasses.

“So stayed out of the water and took the camera instead and yeah it was pretty sad to see.”

Wild said whale strandings happen every year or two on the islands.

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