477 pilot whales di.ed after beaching themselves on an isolated New Zealand island, according to he.artb.rea.king photos.
According to res.cu.ers, none of the mammals could be refloated owing to the risk of a shark attacks on humans and whales.
All di.ed naturally or were eut.ha.nized after becoming stranded on the Chatham Islands, which are home to around 600 people and are located roughly 500 miles east of New Zealand’s major islands.
It comes just two weeks after around 200 pilot whales perished in Australia after becoming stranded on a secluded Tasmanian beach. The Department of Conservation remarked on the New Zealand ca.tas.trophe, “These incidents are terrible, complex situations.” Even though they are natural events, they are pa.inful and challenging for those who assist.’ On Friday, 232 whales landed themselves at Tupuangi Beach, and another 245 three days later in Waihere Bay.
Pilot whale strandings are rather regular in the island country, particularly during the summer.
The cause for this is uncertain, but experts suspect that gently sloping sandy beaches might confound their navigation systems.
Daren Grover of the Project Jonah rescue organization described the loss as “he.art.bre.aking.”
He claims that there is enough food for whales in the Chatham Islands and that when they travel closer to shore, they will swiftly transition from extremely deep to shallow water.
‘They rely on echolocation, but it doesn’t notify them when they’re out of the water,’ he noted.
‘They grow lost as they get closer to the coast. The tide might then drop from beneath them, leaving them stranded on the beach.’ The pilot whale carcasses will not be buried or towed out to sea, as is common practice, but will instead be left to r.ot.
‘Nature is a terrific recycler, and all the energy contained within the bodies of all the whales will be restored to nature quite rapidly,’ added Mr Grover.
