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WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - Oil refinery workers helped rescue 40 beached pilot whales in northern New Zealand Friday — but another 37 of the whale pod died on the sandy beach, a Department of Conservation spokeswoman said.
By early afternoon the rescued whales were less than a mile off the shore and "starting to swim strongly" out to sea, spokeswoman Sue Campbell told The Associated Press from the North Island city of Whangarei, near the stranding site.
Boats were patrolling near the whales to encourage them to continue heading out to sea rather than return to Ruakaka beach.
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