South Island, New Zealand
Officials had to shoot 41 pilot whales this week after the animals were beached by rough seas. “Given the hopelessness of being able to successfully refloat the whales,” said Greg Napp of the Department of Conservation, “our prime concern was then to avoid the whales’ suffering a long and painful death.” It was the second major whale beaching in the area in as many weeks. In the first incident, rescuers managed to save 100 of 129 pilot whales that beached themselves on the same spit 12 days earlier. The shallow area around the tip of the island is considered particularly treacherous for whales.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
Thailand's war on blackchin tilapiaUnder The Radar The invasive 'alien' fish are causing economic damage but can their spread be stopped?
-
10 recent scientific breakthroughsIn Depth From cell reparation to monkey communication
-
TV to watch in September, from 'Agatha All Along' to 'The Penguin'The Week Recommends A 'WandaVision' spinoff, a DC Comics villain's starring turn and a silly Netflix original
