Nearly 200 pilot whales stranded in New Zealand
Nearly 200 pilot whales have become stranded on New Zealand's South Island at a spot well-known for whale beachings.
Dozens of conservation workers and volunteers rushed to the area and tried to refloat the whales as the tide rose.
But at least two dozen of the 198 mammals died, despite efforts to save them, according to the Department of Conservation.
Experts describe the area, called Farewell Spit, as a whale trap, due to the way its shallow waters seem to diminish whales' ability to navigate.
13 Feb 2015
- From the section Asia