Rescuers defied a shark threat to form a human chain in a New Zealand bay on Saturday in a bid to keep another 200 whales from becoming stranded a day after hundreds died in a mass beaching. About 150 people waded out up to their necks at Farewell Spit in the northwest of the South island to form the human wall as they guided some 100 survivors from Friday's beaching away from the shore. Environmental group Project Jonah, which is assisting with the rescue mission, described the new arrivals as "a super pod" which "swam into the bay and within 20 meters of the human chain."

Fresh whale stranding on New Zealand beach. (2017, February 12). Manila Standard, p. B4.