Whale rescuers were cautiously optimistic on February 12 that the current wave of mass beachings in New Zealand was over, after hundreds of the creatures died after being stranded ashore. New Zealand conservation authorities said 240 pilot whales that were stranded overnight at a remote bay which only earlier had a larger beaching refloated themselves on Sunday and were swimming offshore. "We had 240 whales strand yesterday in the afternoon and we were fearful we were going to end up with 240 dead whales this morning," Herb Christophers, a Department of Conservation spokesman said.

Stranded. (2017, February 13). Business World, p. S1/10.