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Fifty whales dead in mass stranding in New Zealand

Xinhua, February 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

Around 50 pilot whales had died after a pod of 198 whales stranded themselves on a remote beach at the top of New Zealand's South Island Friday.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) reported the whales had stranded on Farewell Spit earlier in the day and staff and volunteers were hoping to refloat them on the incoming tide in the evening.

DOC conservation services manager Andrew Lamason said in a statement that volunteers would be needed to help keep the remaining whales alive on Saturday.

Radio New Zealand reported late Friday that about three quarters of the whales had been refloated, but were yet to swim out to deeper water after getting stuck on sand.

About 50 whales had died, said the report.

DOC spokesperson Mike Ogle told Radio New Zealand that there were more whales than people. Endi