More than two dozen whales died in a mass stranding at a New Zealand beach renowned as a death trap for the ocean giants, wildlife rangers said Friday.

The Department of Conservation said 29 long-finned pilot whales were already dead when the pod of 34 marine mammals was found at remote Farewell Spit on the South Island late Thursday.

Department spokesman Dave Winterburn said rangers were providing care for five survivors but noted "the whales have now been out of the water for some time".

"While this event is unfortunate, whale strandings are a natural phenomenon," he said.

"The cause of this stranding is not known."

Farewell Spit, a 26-kilometre (16 mile) hook of sand that protrudes into the sea, has been the scene of more than 10 pilot whale strandings in the past 15 years.

The largest was in February 2017, when almost 700 of the mammals beached, resulting in 250 deaths.

Scientists are unclear about why the beach is so deadly. One theory is that the spit creates a shallow seabed in the bay that interferes with the whales' sonar navigation systems.

Pilot whales, the most common species of whale in New Zealand waters, are particularly susceptible to mass strandings.

The whales, which grow up to six metres (20 feet) long, are regularly found beached in large numbers.

(stock image only)

Related Links
Follow the Whaling Debate

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

How much energy does a dolphin use to swim?
Durham NC (SPX) Feb 28, 2022
From foraging for prey to evading predators, ship strikes or other dangers, a dolphin's survival often hinges on being able to crank up the speed and shift its swimming into high gear. But burning all that rubber burns a lot of energy too, which, over time, can deplete reserves vital for growth, health and reproduction if the animal's movements use more calories than it can take in. Being able to estimate these energy costs of locomotion (COL) and determine where the metabolic tipping point might ... read more