Three whales swam back, one died on Northland beach

One of the four Gray's beaked whales that got stranded on Ruakākā Beach couldn't swim back out to sea and died. Photo / Project Jonah

Flensing of a Gray's beaked whale that died on Northland's Ruakākā Beach will begin this afternoon under the supervision of the local hāpu.

Locals found four Gray's beaked whales stranded on the beach on Tuesday evening and called Project Jonah- an environmental organisation dedicated to the protection of whales, dolphins and seals.

Three whales were refloated and helped back out to sea while one kept turning around and coming to the shallows.

Several locally-trained medics who volunteer for Project Jonah went down to the beach after the three whales swam back out to sea to help those that worked on the fourth whale.

They returned home about 10pm and a Department of Conservation senior marine ranger went to the beach at first light today and discovered the dead whale.

Representatives of the local hāpu Patuharakeke will undertake flensing of the whale this afternoon and DoC senior marine ranger Cat Peters will also be present.

Patuharakeke has asked the public to give them space while the flensing is underway for health and safety purposes.

The whale will later be buried at a site away from the beach.

Project Jonah is asking locals in Ruakākā to keep an eye on beaches over the next few days and to report any marine mammals in distress to DoC on 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468) or Project Jonah on 0800 4 WHALE (0800 4 94253).