More than 30 pilot whales stranded on a beach in New Zealand have been safely returned to the ocean after conservation workers and residents helped to refloat them by lifting them on sheets.

Four of the pilot whales died, New Zealand’s conservation agency said.

New Zealand is a stranding hotspot and pilot whales are especially prolific stranders.

A team was monitoring Ruakaka Beach near the city of Whangarei on New Zealand’s North Island on Monday to ensure there were no signs of the whales saved on Sunday stranding again, the Department of Conservation told The Associated Press.

The agency praised as “incredible” the efforts made by hundreds of people to help save the foundering pod.

“It’s amazing to witness the genuine care and compassion people have shown toward these magnificent animals,” DOC spokesman Joel Lauterbach said.

“This response demonstrates the deep connection we all share with our marine environment.”

There was a Maori cultural ceremony on Monday for the three adult whales and one calf that died in the stranding.

Maori consider whales a taonga – a sacred treasure – of cultural significance.

New Zealand has had more than 5000 whale strandings since 1840.

The largest pilot whale stranding was of an estimated 1000 whales at the Chatham Islands in 1918, according to DOC.

It’s often not clear why strandings happen but the island nation’s geography is believed to be a factor.

Both the North and South islands feature stretches of protruding coastline with shallow, sloping beaches that can confuse species such as pilot whales, which rely on echolocation to navigate.

-AAP