A group of more than 30 pilot whales were rescued after washing up on Ruakākā Beach near Whangārei in northern New Zealand on Sunday, officials said.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) says most were refloated and swam out to sea, but three adults and a calf died. There was no re-stranding overnight.
Rescue efforts were led by the local Māori group, Patuharakeke, who were joined by authorities and other members of the public.
Whale stranding is an unexplained natural phenomenon, with New Zealand having one of the highest stranding rates in the world.
The whales were refloated by lifting them onto sheets.
Patuharakeke stayed on the beach all night to ensure none of the rescued whales stranded again.
The DOC – which is responsible for handling stranded marine rescues – called the rescue effort “incredible, with everyone coming together for the whales”.
“It’s amazing to see the genuine care and compassion people have shown these magnificent animals,” said department operations director Joel Lauterbach.
He also thanked all parties involved, including Patuharakeke and Project Jonah, which provides aid to stranded marine mammals, and the “hundreds of members of the public who have provided assistance so far”.
Whale and dolphin strandings are common in the country. The DOC responds to approximately 85 incidents per year on average, mostly consisting of isolated animals.
