The group of animals got stranded overnight on New Zealand 's South Island . Twelve had died by the time and officials decided to euthanize 27 others . The 39 long-finned pilot whales became stranded overnight on Farewell Spit , a narrow claw of land that juts out into the sea from the northern tip of New Zealand 's South Island . ` ` It was unlikely they could be rescued , '' a local conservation official says . New Zealand has one of the highest stranding rates for marine mammals .
The group of animals got stranded overnight on New Zealand 's South Island . Twelve had died by the time and officials decided to euthanize 27 others . ` ` It was unlikely they could be rescued , '' a local conservation official says . New Zealand has one of the highest stranding rates for marine mammals .