About 75 whales were already dead when a hiker discovered them on Stewart Island, and conservation workers decided to euthanize the others due to their poor condition and remote location.

Whale lovers in New Zealand finally got some good news on Sunday after more than 200 stranded whales managed to refloat themselves overnight and swim away, while volunteers managed to save another 17 whales at high tide.

The pilot whales swam aground at a remote beach.