Study highlights assessing welfare of stranded whales after 2 mass strandings

Photo taken on Oct. 10, 2021, shows a whale near Kaikoura, New Zealand. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

Two mass stranded pilot whales were found in the past two days in New Zealand's Chatham Islands, according to a local protection organization, and a survey is initiated by international experts to enact guidelines to assess the welfare and survival of these marine mammals.

WELLINGTON, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- A survey of international experts aims to help researchers develop guidelines for assessing the welfare of stranded whales and dolphins after two mass strandings of pilot whales on New Zealand's Chatham Islands this week.

Researchers at Massey University said that the welfare of these animals is inextricably linked to their survival, so such guidelines are needed to inform difficult decisions about whether these marine mammals should be refloated, rehabilitated, euthanized, or put into palliative care, according to the study published on Wednesday.

Potential welfare indicators include body and skin condition, signs of physical trauma and respiration rate, which could be assessed remotely via video when experts aren't present at stranding sites, researchers said.

Photo taken on Oct. 10, 2021, shows a whale near Kaikoura, New Zealand. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

Due to climate change and human disturbance, cetacean stranding events are predicted to increase globally.

New Zealand's Chatham Islands found two mass strandings of pilot whales on Sunday and Tuesday, according to Project Jonah New Zealand, an organization for whales and dolphins' protection and rescue.

Up to 250 and 215 whales were involved, respectively, in these two stranding events, many of which had died. A Department of Conservation (DOC) team is being mobilized from the Chatham Islands in response.

The Chatham Islands are a challenging spot for stranding response, known for great white sharks, remote beaches and a resident population of fewer than 800 people. These factors sadly meant the whales alive on discovery were euthanized by the DOC, according to Project Jonah New Zealand.■