Whale stranded at Moureeses Bay in Northland dies

Monday, 9 March 2020

A beaked whale stranded at Moureeses Bay in Northland has died.

The stranding happened around high tide on Monday, which was about 7.40am. 

By the time Department of Conservation staff arrived about two hours later, the whale had died.

DOC staff will now liaise with local iwi. A burial site will be located either on the beach or a reserve close by and a karakia performed. 

**READ MORE:

* Experts puzzled over whale behaviour

* Dolphin in shallow waters in north Auckland possibly injured

* Beaked whale dies after stranding on Rabbit Island**

Daren Grover from Project Jonah said the group had been liaising with DOC.

He urged locals not to try to return beached whales to the ocean as it risked harming them.

'All we ask members of the public to do is keep it cool using buckets of water … and call for assistance.'

Grover said the whale appeared to be a beaked whale, which live deep in the ocean, but it was not yet clear which of the 22 species of beaked whale it was. 

Before Project Jonah was told of the whale's death, Grover said there was likely a reason why the whale had come close to shore and got stranded.

Even if the whale had been refloated, it may not have survived if it was already ill.