Do’s, don’t’s of whale rescues
New Zealand’s waters are a hotspot for whales, but we also have the world’s highest rate of whale strandings.
With 42 species and two subspecies, nearly half of the world’s species of whales, dolphins and porpoises live off our coasts.
Despite this, less than 1 per cent of our oceans have ‘‘no take’’ protection from fishing and extractive industries, which disrupt and harm marine animals, Forest & Bird marine mammal expert Anton Van Helden said.
He outlined what to do if you come across a beached whale, and why they end up there.
Why do whales strand?
There are a number of factors, both natural and man-made that contribute to whales beaching themselves.
Whales suffer from a lot of the same issues humans do – diseases, parasites and injuries or ailments that come with birth or old age.
But unlike humans, whales have to think about each breath they take. When they are sick or injured they come inshore where they can rest, without having to fight to stay at the surface.
While people tend to associate whale strandings with whales dying, it can be a survival strategy.
Getting trapped in fishing gear or colliding with ships can injure and disorient whales, and extreme weather and getting trapped in low tides can also force them inshore. Whales, dolphins and porpoises rely on sound for navigation, foraging, and communication, so military sonar and other human-made sounds can also cause whales to beach.
When and where do strandings occur?
On average, there are about 90 strandings a year in New Zealand, mostly in summer.
The Mahia Peninsula, Golden Bay, some of Northland’s beaches, and the Chatham Islands are beaching hotspots.
Why do whales beach in groups?
Most of the strandings in New Zealand are one whale at a time, or a mother stranding with a calf.
But occasionally we see mass strandings, where large groups – some in their hundreds – beach together.
In 1918, 1000 pilot whales stranded themselves on the Chatham Islands, our worst mass stranding.
Social species, like pilot whales, work together. They often call out to one another in distress and more come to help, also getting themselves into trouble.
What should you do if you see a stranded whale?
While your first instinct might be to check the whale out, you need to be careful.
A small flick of a whale fin could injure or even kill a human. Put your safety and the safety of those around you first, and then call the Department of Conservation.
Once help is on the way you could cordon off the animal, keep it shaded and keep it wet. Be sure to keep water away from the whale’s blowhole, as that is how they breathe.
Most importantly, stay calm. A stranded whale will be stressed enough already, and stressed out people won’t help. – Fairfax NZ