Credit: Department of Conservation

After a pod of more than 30 pilot whales stranded themselves on a New Zealand beach, over a thousand volunteers and professionals alike organized to save them by carrying them back out to sea on sheets.

The sheets were suspended from the prow of a boat operated by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DoC).

The stranding happened on Ruakākā Beach near the city of Whangārei in New Zealand’s north island, a particularly prolific stranding location for pilot whales. DoC agents routinely survey the beach and ask the public to report any whales coming too near.

Rescue efforts saw almost all of the pilot whales survive, while three adults and one calf perished. A Māori ceremony was held to honor their spirits, as the Māori believe the animal to be a sacred cultural treasure.

“It’s amazing to witness the genuine care and compassion people have shown toward these magnificent animals,” Joel Lauterbach, a Department of Conservation spokesperson, said in a statement. “This response demonstrates the deep connection we all share with our marine environment.”

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