LIHUE, Hawaii (AP) — At least five pilot whales have died in Hawaii after becoming stranded on a beach on Kauai.
A volunteer effort mounted on Friday morning to push the whales back to deep water after the U.S. Coast Guard station on the island received a report that at least seven whales were on Kalapaki Beach.
Two of the whales died that morning, but volunteers were able to herd five back out to sea. By the evening, three more whales were discovered dead.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration coordinator David Schofield told Hawaii News Now whales typically become stranded because of natural disease. He says there’s a possibility more whales could become stranded because more whales are believed to be in the area. Pilot whales travel in large pods.