About 40 pilot whales stranded on Ruakākā beach on Sunday afternoon.
Photo: Facebook / Joseph Hack

Most of the 40 pilot whales that were stranded on a Northland beach have been refloated following a mammoth effort from volunteers.

Whale rescue organisation Project Jonah received calls about 4.30pm Sunday that the whales were in trouble at Ruakākā beach, general manager Daren Grover said.

Initially the pod was in the shallows, and locals did their best to prevent stranding – but many of them had since stranded, he said on Sunday evening.

About 200 people raced to the beach to help, and the majority of the whales were refloated and were being monitored by 8pm, Project Jonah said on Facebook.

Four whales died in the stranding.

People at Bream Bay attempt to stop pilot whales from restranding after they have been refloated.
Photo: Supplied / Huhana Lyndon

“We are hopeful that the whales remain in the ocean and will provide any updates if this situation changes,” the Project Jonah post said.

“Thank you to our 30 Marine Mammal Medics who responded quickly, the members of the public who called for help and those on the ground.”

The Department of Conservation said there was still some concern the whales could re-strand themselves, but it asked people to stay away from the beach.

“We have plenty of help, it is best if people stay away to ease the congestion at the beach, and if people aren’t directly involved with helping the whales, we ask you please go home,” ranger supervisor Kallen Mehrtens said.

Earlier, Grover said the aim of the refloating effort was to make the whales comfortable.

“They’re a big social pod and they will be looking out for each other, they’ll be calling out to each other as well, and it might be quite harrowing for people on the beach, but our aim will be to help get them comfortable and help calm them down and also meet their immediate needs.”

That could involve pouring water over them to keep them cool, he said.

He asked anyone at the beach to follow the guidance of Project Jonah and DOC.

“Stranded whales are highly stressed and they can be very dangerous, and often injuries do happen to people where the advice isn’t followed.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.