A remote stretch of New Zealand coastline has become the site of another sinister whale stranding. Authorities say a pod of 43 pilot whales died after washing up along several kilometers of coastline near Cape Palliser, on the southern tip of the country’s North Island, the Independent reports. When the whales were discovered Thursday morning, at least 20 of them were already stranded and only four were still alive.
These survivors did not survive the day, according to conservation charity Project Jonah. Reuters reports that two whales were successfully refloated, although it is unclear whether they were among the original four survivors who ultimately perished. “It’s horrible,” one resident told Radio New Zealand. “Those who are alive are in their last breath.”
The New Zealand Department of Conservation is currently working with local Maori tribes on burial plans for the whales, which are described as Taongaor “precious heritage”. Pilot whales are known for mass strandings, although the causes remain unclear. The DOC notes that more than 5,000 whales and dolphins have washed up along the country’s coasts since 1840, according to the Tutor. Authorities point to shallow, sloping waters; difficult coastal conditions; and the animals’ close social bonds as likely factors.
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