Five pygmy whales euthanised after restranding on Northland beach

Wednesday, 28 November 2018

Eight whales were transported from the West Coast to the East Coast in Northland to refloat them on Tuesday morning.

Five pygmy whales have had to be put down after they restranded on a Northland beach.

Six whales had been refloated on Tuesday from Rarawa beach but were spotted close to the shore at Great Exhibition Bay before they beached again.

Two rare pygmy killer whales euthanised at Rārawa Beach

Experts from the Department of Conservation assessed the situation and decided to euthanise.

There is still one whale offshore currently being monitored.

Eight whales were transported from the West Coast to the East Coast in Northland to refloat them on Tuesday morning. Just one whale has survived after the others had to be euthanised.

Marine mammal charity Project Jonah received a call from a member of the public on Sunday night saying whales were stranded on Ninety Mile Beach.

Twelve pygmy killer whales were originally found on the beach, but four had died.

After changing weather forecasts foiled their plan to refloat them at Ninety Mile Beach, a decision was made on Monday to load them onto trailers and make a 15 kilometre trip over land to Rarawa Beach on the east coast.

Two whales were euthanised after volunteers and conservation staff refloated a group of eight whales.

A Department of Conservation spokeswoman said on Tuesday morning that all eight whales were successfully moved to Rarawa Beach on Monday and rested overnight in the stream.

It comes after a mass whale stranding at Mason Bay on Stewart Island.

About 145 pilot whales died after a tramper found them stranded on Saturday, notifying DOC staff at 10.30pm.

It also comes just days after a 15-metre sperm whale died after being stranded at Tokerau Beach in Doubtful Bay, Northland.