Rescuers tried to save pilot whales stranded at the mouth of the Okuru River near Haast after they became stranded. Photo / Neroli Nolan
Rescuers tried to save pilot whales stranded at the mouth of the Okuru River near Haast after they became stranded. Photo / Neroli Nolan
The dozen pilot whales that were still alive out of the 38 stranded will be euthanised after any attempt at rescue was branded impossible.
The pilot whales stranded at the mouth of the Okuru River, south of Haast yesterday afternoon.
Rescuing the whales stranded on the sandbar in rough conditions would put both people and the animals at risk. Photo / Kerry Eggeling
A Department of Conservation spokesman Wayne Costello said the 12 whales that were still alive would be humanely euthanised. The dangerous sea and lagoon conditions meant an attempt to refloat the whales could not be made safely.
"Unfortunately the sea on the West Coast is typically rough and the strong tidal currents in the adjoining lagoon made it impossible for rescuers to safely attempt to refloat the whales, allow them to regroup and to try to get them back to the open sea," Costello said.
"DOC staff working with Makaawhio iwi members and local people considered options for a refloat of the whales but in the end this could not be done without considerable risk to both whales and people.
"This is a sad outcome."
A dozen of the 38 stranded whales had to be euthanised. Photo / Neroli Nolan
This decision was made in consultation with the local iwi Makaawhio, Project Jonah and other whale stranding experts.
Costello said volunteers and staff had tried their hardest to keep the whales comfortable by getting them upright, cooling them and protecting them from the sun and wind.
Yesterday, 32 stranded pilot whales were found at the Okuru river mouth, 11 of which were alive. It appeared that the whales had been there about 12 hours when found.
Volunteers worked hard to keep the whales wet and upright. Photo / Kerry Eggeling
When DoC staff returned this morning, 38 whales were found, most of which were dead.
Project Jonah general manager Daren Grover said the tough conditions could have played a part in today's whale stranding.
"There are various factors why this pod came close to shore, we won't know specifically. They're mostly an open ocean species. When they come close to shore they can get caught out by tides, currents and fleeing from predators like orca.
"Or it could be one whale that is sick or injured and the others as a family pod followed them in with their herding instinct. It's what we've seen in the past."
Local and photographer Neroli Nolan was at the sandbar this morning.
"There are still some whales alive and they [volunteers] are doing their best to keep them alive for high tide at 2pm.
"It's devastating. It's so sad. They're very special."
Long-finned pilot whales roam the cold temperate waters of the Southern Ocean. Each pod numbers 20-100 whales, though they can congregate in much larger numbers.
