Photo provided by DOC Ranger Fynn McClintock. Rights are Crown copyright.

71 pilot whales stranded on a beach in the Chatham Islands have been euthanised.

Department of Conservation Ranger Cassidy Solomon told chrislynchmedia.com the whales stranded on a beach at Hanson Bay near Owenga.

A police spokesperson said they were notified of the stranding on Monday at around 12.30pm. “Police assisted DOC in the process.”

Solomon said “DOC worked alongside the local community, landowners, and police on the response, and we are very appreciative of their assistance.

“Unfortunately, euthanasia was deemed the kindest course of action in this case, as refloating was not an option.

In a message on a Chatham Islands community Facebook page, a local ranger warned residents to stay away from the area because “firearms are in use.”

“Pilot whales are prolific stranders, and this behaviour is not well understood. This type of event is not uncommon on the Chatham Islands, with the largest recorded pilot whale stranding being an estimated 1,000 whales in 1918,” Solomon said.

The last mass stranding of pilot whales on the Chatham Islands occurred in October 2022.

DOC manages whale strandings and rescues, with the help of local communities, and responds to an average of 85 stranding incidents per year, usually involving single animals.