Four whales die in Port Waikato stranding

The beach at Port Waikato. Photo / Natalie Slade

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Four adult whales have died after beaching themselves at Port Waikato but Conservation Department staff have successfully refloated a fifth.

Members of the public reported that the whales - believed to be Gray's beaked whales - were stranded about 9.30am, a Department of Conservation (DOC) spokesman said.

Locals and DOC staff successfully refloated the only surviving whale, a juvenile, and were hoping it did not re-strand.

It was not known if it was an entire pod that had beached.

Gray's beaked whales grow up to 5.7m long and are regularly stranded around New Zealand.

- NZHERALD STAFF

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