Second mass stranding means 500 pilot whales likely to die on remote New Zealand islands

About 250 whales beached on remote Chatham Islands just days after another stranding involving similar number of mammals

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Hundreds of pilot whales have stranded on New Zealand's remote Chatham Islands just days after a nearby beaching resulted in 250 mammals dying or being euthanised.

About 250 whales came ashore at Pitt Island/Rangiauria in the second stranding, taking the total number of whales stranded on the Chatham Islands to 500-odd, the general manager of Project Jonah, Daren Grover, said on Monday. The project runs a stranding hotline and mobilises marine rescues.