Nearly 100 whales die after mass stranding in New Zealand

A mass stranding on the remote Chatham Islands – about 800km off New Zealand’s east coast – has caused the deaths of 100 whales and dolphins.

In total 97 pilot whales and three bottlenose dolphins died, according to New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC) which said it was first notified of the incident on Sunday at 12.30pm.

While the majority of the animals were reported being beached over the weekend, rescue efforts were slow due to the remote location of the islands.

DOC biodiversity ranger Jemma Welch said a power outage also made it difficult for people on the islands to contact anyone. According to Ms Welch, it was 3pm on Wednesday by the time rangers arrived at the scene on Waitangi West Beach.