Dozens of pilot whales stranded on New Zealand coast

Dozens of pilot whales have ​been found stranded on a ​beach in New Zealand's ‌North ​Island and rescuers are trying to refloat a handful of the survivors, the country's conservation department ‌said on Thursday. At least 20 pilot whales were stranded along the Ngawi coast near Cape Palliser, the southern-most point of the North ‌Island, the Department of Conservation said.

The department said it was working ‌with local iwi - a Maori tribe - and Project Jonah, a group that specialises in rescuing stranded whales. Two whales have been successfully refloated so far. Locals said up ⁠to ​50 whales had ⁠been stranded on the coastline overnight, Radio New Zealand reported.

Most succumbed to their ⁠injuries and volunteers were trying to keep survivors alive and hydrated using ​buckets of water and towels. "It's horrible. The ones that are alive ⁠are on their last breaths," Ngawi local Rob Bargh told Radio New Zealand.

In a ⁠post ​on Facebook on Thursday, Project Jonah said four whales were alive and rescuers would try to refloat them during high ⁠tide. Whale strandings are fairly common in New Zealand and neighbouring Australia owing ⁠to large ⁠populations of pilot whales living in the deep oceans surrounding both island nations. The cause of whale stranding ‌is unknown.