This handout photo taken and released on August 20, 2010 by the New Zealand Department of Conservation shows rescuers being hampered by rough seas as they attempt to re-float 15 stranded pilot whales at Karikari beach in the far north of New Zealand. A pod of 58 pilot whales caught in the mass-stranding, were only discovered mid-morning with conservation officials saying the whales probably beached overnight which was why so many died before a rescue operation was launched. Whale beachings are not uncommon along the New Zealand coast and more than 100 pilot whales died in a stranding in the upper South Island last December. AFP PHOTO / HO / DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION"
title="CORRECTING NUMBERS
This handout photo taken and released on August 20, 2010 by the New Zealand Department of Conservation shows a woman and and three children tending to a pilot whale as they and others are hampered by rough seas in their effort to re-float 15 stranded pilot whales at Karikari beach in the far north of New Zealand. A pod of 58 pilot whales caught in the mass-stranding, were only discovered mid-morning with conservation officials saying the whales probably beached overnight which was why so many died before a rescue operation was launched. Whale beachings are not uncommon along the New Zealand coast and more than 100 pilot whales died in a stranding in the upper South Island last December. AFP PHOTO / HO / DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION"
title="HANDOUT RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE AND EDITORIAL SALES - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / HO / Carolyn SMITH / DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION"
This handout photo taken and released on August 20, 2010 by the New Zealand Department of Conservation shows two dead pilot whales as people tending to other whales are hampered by rough seas in their attempt to re-float 15 stranded pilot whales at Karikari beach in the far north of New Zealand. A pod of 58 pilot whales caught in the mass-stranding, were only discovered mid-morning with conservation officials saying the whales probably beached overnight which was why so many died before a rescue operation was launched. Whale beachings are not uncommon along the New Zealand coast and more than 100 pilot whales died in a stranding in the upper South Island last December. AFP PHOTO / HO / DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION"
title="HANDOUT RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE AND EDITORIAL SALES - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / HO / Carolyn SMITH / DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION"
In Neuseeland sind 63 Wale gestrandet. In einer dramatischen Rettungsaktion gelang es den Tierschützern, neun der Tiere zu retten.
Wellington. Dramatische Szenen spielten sich an der Küste im Norden Neuseelands ab. In der Nähe der Stadt Karikari sind vermutlich schon am Donnerstag 63 Grindwale gestrandet. Als die hilflosen Tiere an dem entlegenem Strandabschnitt entdeckt wurden, waren viele Säuger schon tot. In einer aufwendigen Rettungsaktion mit Kränen gelang es Tierschützern, 13 der großen Meeressäuger über Land an einen anderen Strand zu bringen und dort wieder ins Meer zu lassen. Doch von den geretteten Tieren überlebten nur neun Tiere, die zurück ins offene Meer schwammen.
Wendy Sporle von einem der Rettungsteams sagte dem neuseeländischen Fernsehsender NZ, dass die Wale sich geradezu wie Berge am Strand aufgetürmt hätten. „Wir mussten die lebenden Tiere markieren, um sie retten zu können.“ Die Rettungsarbeiten gestalteten sich nach ihren Angaben schwierig. Heftiger Regen und Stürme erschwerten die Arbeit. Vier Wale hätten zudem eingeschläfert werden müssen.
Immer wieder stranden die Meeressäuger, weil ihr Ortungssystem gestört ist. Zuletzt waren im vergangenen Dezember an der Küste Neuseelands mehr als 100 Grindwale verendet. Vor allem U-Boote und Schiffe senden Signale aus, die die Wale verwirren. Das Echolot der Tiere funktioniert dann nicht mehr richtig und den Tieren fehlt die Orientierung.
