The Star: March 21, 2024
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> Thursday <strong>March</strong> <strong>21</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
6<br />
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DOC forced to euthanise<br />
stranded pilot whale<br />
A JUVENILE pilot whale<br />
that was stranded on a Banks<br />
Peninsula beach yesterday<br />
morning has been euthanised.<br />
Local residents, Department<br />
of Conservation rangers and<br />
representatives from Project Jonah<br />
worked to re-float the whale<br />
after it was found about 3km<br />
from Birdlings Flat.<br />
However, a Project Jonah<br />
New Zealand spokesperson said<br />
yesterday afternoon DOC had to<br />
euthanise the whale.<br />
“Kia ora, the decision to<br />
euthanise is made by Department<br />
of Conservation often in<br />
consultation with other agencies<br />
who are on the beach including<br />
Project Jonah and iwi,” the<br />
spokesperson said.<br />
“It’s not a decision that is<br />
made lightly and is always done<br />
with the welfare of the whale<br />
front and centre.<br />
“Thank you to everyone who<br />
helped with this beautiful animal<br />
today. Ngā mihi and look<br />
after yourselves.”<br />
DOC mahaanui operations<br />
manager Andy Thompson said<br />
earlier yesterday staff were<br />
providing technical and logistical<br />
support and were assessing<br />
whether there were other whales<br />
in the area.<br />
RESCUE ATTEMPT: Birdlings Flat residents, DOC and<br />
Project Jonah staff helping the whale earlier yesterday.<br />
PHOTO: GEOFF SLOAN <br />
Thompson said DOC was<br />
not sure why the whale had<br />
stranded.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> whale is at a remote and<br />
challenging site a few kilometres<br />
south of Birdlings Flat,” he said.<br />
“While we do not regularly<br />
see pilot whales stranding on<br />
Kaitōrete, the Banks Peninsula<br />
area is a hotspot for a wide range<br />
of marine life including whales.<br />
It is not unusual for pilot whales<br />
to be in this area.”<br />
A Project Jonah spokesperson<br />
said: “We’re also looking for any<br />
signs of a pod in the area and<br />
potentially at risk of stranding.”<br />
Residents tried to keep the<br />
whale alive yesterday morning<br />
by digging a moat as the waves<br />
came in. DOC had been hoping<br />
to re-float it at high tide about<br />
1.30pm.<br />
A helicopter was also called<br />
in to search for other stranded<br />
whales.<br />
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