A rare beaked whale was washed up dead on Red Beach, north of Auckland, this weekend following earlier reports that a whale had beached and then been refloated by passers-by last Tuesday.
Described as a specimen of a deep diving, offshore species, the whale had been sighted in the area around Whangaparaoa and Orewa for the past two weeks.
"A whale this far away from its usual place of feeding sadly, most likely represents an ill or debilitate animal," said Professor Karen Stockin of Massey University's Cetacean Ecology Research Group at the time of the first stranding. Stockin went on to urge members of the public not to try to refloat the animal but to contact the Department of Conservation.
"It is both understandable and indeed, highly commendable that the public stepped in to assist a distressed animal" Stockin said. "We just need to make sure, that for the sake of animal welfare, we are refloating healthy viable animals which have a chance of survival once released."
