A rare dwarf sperm whale find at Ahipara last week was the third whale that has washed ashore in the area in three months.
Rueben Taipari Porter said the "very rare" dwarf sperm whale came in and died on the foreshore of Ahipara down near the Te Neke ramp on Friday, and part of its earbone will now be sent away to see if it can be determined if seismic testing had any part to play in its stranding.
"Unlike the mass stranding last week in Ohiwa Harbour, it was only the one male adult, and, though much smaller than the bryde and sperm whales that beached here a couple of months ago, this adult bull was still significant as these species are very rare," Mr Porter said.
"The physical analysis by hapu was that no major physical or health issues were evident during the flensing process. Apart from two cookie cutter shark bites and some worms under the whales tongue, its internal organs were in good health and he was well fed."
He said samples of its ear drums, liver and skin tissue have been sent away to the University of Auckland for forensic testing to determine its cause of death.
