NELSON, New Zealand, (Reuter) - Rescue teams fought to save 27 pilot whales beached at the top of New Zealand's South Island on Wednesday. Five other whales from an original pod of 32 had died by midday and Department of Conservation (DOC) spokesman Geoff Rennison said rescuers were battling to save the remainder.
"We've got 27 live whales and we are busy working with them at the moment," he said in a telephone interview.
Rennison said it was unclear how long the whales had been stranded on Farewell Spit or whether they could be saved. The tide was out and they were not covered by water at all.
"They're not in the water at the moment, they're on the beach," he said.
"All I can say is we've been working with the whales to minimise their shock, cover them up with sheets, put water on them, get them stabilised and hopefully refloat them mid-afternoon."
A DOC rescue team and a group of volunteers was on its way to the site to help, and more volunteers had been called for. Shelley Pomeroy, of the Farewell Spit Visitors Centre, said the whales were stranded two km (1.25 miles) from the base of the spit and were discovered early on Wednesday.
"My guess is it happened last night and when the tide went out they got caught. The tide goes out very quickly here, and before they knew it they were on their bellies."
High tide was at six p.m. (0500 GMT).
"As soon as the water reaches the whales, we will move them into a very tight group, hold them until we think conditions are appropriate, and then we will release them to the sea and hope," Rennison said.
"We just give it our best shot."
About 30 pilot whales grounded themselves at Tapata Creek, near the base of Farewell Spit, in January last year but were successfully guided back to sea by DOC staff and volunteers.
UPDATE:
NELSON, New Zealand (Reuter) - Rescuers saved 27 whales which ran aground at the top ofNew Zealand's South Island Wednesday but said they feared a much larger group was at risk of becoming beached.
Thirteen conservation staff, helped by about 120 volunteers, spent several hours tending the stricken pilot whales and pouring water over them. By early evening the tide had come in and the rescuers successfully refloated the 27 mammals and steered them out to sea. Seven of the original group of 34 whales died earlier in the day. Kaye Stark of the Department of Conservation said there were fears the disoriented whales could run aground again.
"Our concern is that they will swim in a semi-circle and strand further down the spit," she said.
Radio New Zealand said a much larger group of 150 whales had been spotted farther out to sea, and a plane would be sent up at first light on Thursday to check whether any more of the creatures were in danger.