More than dozen whales die on NZ beach
WHALES, DOLPHINS COULD BECOME EXTINCT: SCIENTISTS
North Island, Oct. More than a dozen whales have died in New Zealand after becoming stranded on the country’s North Island, the Department of Conservation said on Sunday. Rescuers and volunteers worked all day on Saturday to refloat about 25 of the animals, part of a pod of about 40 to 50 pilot whales who got stranded earlier that day on a beach in the Coromandel Peninsula.
Five were dead pilot discovered
18:
whales late on
California, Oct. 18: More than 350 scientists from 40 countries have signed an open letter warning against “real and imminent extinction risk to whales, dolphins, and porpoises”, and calling for global conservation efforts to save these aquatic mammals.
The letter states that
Saturday night at a site thought to be the original
“pollution, over-exploitation, and human domination of major river systems” across the globe, especially fishing activities, can lead to several species of whales, porpoises, and dolphins becoming “extinct within our lifetimes,” denying “future generations the opportunity to ex
stranding location, department said.
the perience them.” “Let it be a historic moment when realising that whales are in danger sparks a powerful action from regulators, scientists, politicians, and public to save our oceans,” Mark Simmonds, the senior marine scientist with Humane Society International said. — Agencies
“Although the high tide at about 9 p.m. on Saturday night had allowed the stranded whales to be refloated, members of the pod restranded this morning — including several on rocky outcrops at the bay,” the Department said in a statement on its Facebook account. “Sadly, about dozen have died after restranding on the rocks this morning. However, we are encouraged by the fact the majority of the stranded whales have re-joined the pod this morning and have been chaperoned out to deep water.”