The whale carcasses will be left to decompose on the beach.
Dead pilot whales line the beach at Tupuangi Beach on the Chatham Islands on Saturday, October 8. All photos: AP
Almost 500 pilot whales have died after beaching themselves on two New Zealand beaches.
None of the whales could be rescued, with some of them euthanised.
The deaths come two weeks after about 200 pilot whales died in Australia after beaching themselves on a Tasmanian beach.
Mass strandings of pilot whales are common in New Zealand, especially in summer.
Scientists do not know what causes whales to become stranded, although it appears their location systems can get confused by gently sloping sandy beaches.
The whale carcasses will be left to decompose on the beach.
Dead pilot whales line the beach at Tupuangi Beach on the Chatham Islands on Saturday, October 8. All photos: AP
Almost 500 pilot whales have died after beaching themselves on two New Zealand beaches.
None of the whales could be rescued, with some of them euthanised.
The deaths come two weeks after about 200 pilot whales died in Australia after beaching themselves on a Tasmanian beach.
Mass strandings of pilot whales are common in New Zealand, especially in summer.
Scientists do not know what causes whales to become stranded, although it appears their location systems can get confused by gently sloping sandy beaches.
The whale carcasses will be left to decompose on the beach.
