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Two separate pods of pilot whales have become stranded in shallow water at Colville Bay, which is in a remote area of the peninsula.

Locals spotted the whales milling but not yet stranded early this morning.

Source: CC/ Project Jonah New Zealand

DOC (Department of Conservation) rangers and a group of 20 volunteer medics from Project Jonah are helping the locals with freeing the whales.

The locals and rescue teams are working together to keep the skin of the whales wet and moist, also digging ditches around the whales filling them with water to keep them cooled.

As the tide has been out, there were around 40-60 pilot whales across two separate pods in numbers stranded.

Rescue teams and locals managed to move around 15 of the pilot whales further out to sea successfully by creating a human chain.

25 whales remain stranded in the shallows.

Here is a photo from Dad at the whale stranding. About 20 whales with a few more in the bay. High tide not until dusk so it’s a tricky situation. pic.twitter.com/4JJbttJ3Jc

— morgandonoghue (@Morgandonocoro) October 16, 2020

The next tide is expected at around 9 pm tonight, which will allow more whales to be saved by the rescue teams and locals.

Image: @Morgandonocoro/Twitter used w/ permisson.

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