Olamide Francis
Nature News gathered that about 100 pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins, 800km (497 miles) off New Zealand’s east coast have died in a mass stranding on the remote Chatham Islands, officials said.
According to New Zealand’s Department of Conservation, a total of 97 pilot whales and three dolphins died in the stranding on Wednesday, adding they were notified of the incident on Sunday.
“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.